Last week, you heard why the Bible is so important. It is the container that holds the story of Jesus Christ: his birth, death and resurrection. The Bible’s message is inspired by God so that you might know both God’s will for your life and learn the story of your salvation. But just knowing that the Bible is important doesn’t make it any easier to read, does it? If you just open your Bible and read whatever is written there, it MAY be exactly what you needed to hear, but it may also really be confusing. That’s why you not only need a good reason WHY to read your Bible, but you need to know HOW to read it.
I learned a song in Elementary school that went like this: “Johnny could only sing one note and the note he sang was this: Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!” That’s how many of us read the Bible: like Johnny one note. Do you use the Bible as a guide when you need to make important decisions? Wonderful! Does the Bible help you to grow in your relationship to God? I hope so. Does the Bible encourage you to live your life with integrity? Those are all good reasons to read the Bible. . . but they are still just variations on a theme: Ahhhhhhhhhh! The Bible calls this note: the Law.
The Law says, “Do this!” and it is never done. The Law demands that you do this and then act that way and stop doing something else or else you are not following God’s will. When you heard the Ten Commandments read this morning, what did you do? Well, you probably started making a checklist, marking off those commandments you have done well in keeping and those you have failed miserably at. Reading the Ten Commandments will often lead you to the sin of pride (because you think you are doing so well!) and then to despair (Because you can never be perfect). Following all of God’s laws is absolutely a requirement for a Christian, but if you only read that one note in the Bible, “Do this!” “Don’t do this!” “Do this!” then you will only hear one word from God. “You have not done enough.” “You will never do enough.” “And you have done much that ought not to be done.”
In the Bible, words of law are conditional. If you do this, then you get this, “If you are willing and obedient, then you shall eat the good of the land.” The law demands, “You shall not murder.” The law tells you what to do, “Go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.” When you hear the law, you look at yourself.
The Bible has many words of law in it; however, the law is not the only word. When you read the Bible, or hear the words spoken, it is absolutely essential that you recognize not only the demands of God, but also his promises. This is the message of Galatians chapter 2, “For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” The Gospel says, “Believe this” and everything is done already. The gospel makes you look at Jesus Christ alone who died to save you. When you hear the message each week or when you read the Bible, be careful to distinguish between when you are hearing the one note of the law and second note of the gospel. What are you being called to do by God and what is God doing for you.
In Elementary school, for gym class, I had to learn to square dance. I didn’t want to do it. I liked the girls well enough, but I did not want to “do-see-do” with them. And yet, if I did not do it, then I would receive a bad report card. Those were the conditions: dance or else! In Junior High where I attended over in Griswold, we also had dances. We all got to listen to our favorite top-40 songs with our backs glued to the cafeteria walls. As a guy, if you got up the nerve to ask a girl to dance, then you would be teased by the guys and giggled at by the girls. Those were the conditions. And, if you did get up the nerve, like I did, you would either get rejected or feel her palms wedged against your shoulder blades as she made it clear that you would not be getting any closer than arms length that night. Those were the conditions: “do it this way or else”. That’s the law. And you can’t escape the truth of this reality even if you don’t like it.
On the other hand, when I was in college, I met someone who changed the rules on me. My wife, Kristy. We fell in love. And so, dancing was no longer in the realm of the law, but now held a promise. Because I love you, therefore I want to dance with you. I didn’t even need to ask . . . we’d just start dancing sometimes for no reason at all. No conditions. That’s the gospel.
Two lovers don’t ask, “Do I have to dance with you? Do I have to kiss you?” Because of course the answer would be, well, no, you don’t HAVE to. But when you are in love, don’t you want to? When you fall in love, no one asks about whether they have to or not—they get to! There are no conditions anymore, just faith and trust in the object of one’s affection. The gospel says believe this and everything is done already. Because I love you, therefore I want to dance.
In the baptismal service this morning, you heard both laws and promises. For example, Kristy and I were told to teach Micah the Lord’s Prayer and bring him faithfully to church. If we follow these demands, Micah will grow in obedience to the will of God. However, is his eternal life based on our ability to carry out these orders? No. For that, we must trust not in the law, but in God’s promise that Micah has been named and claimed by Jesus Christ today.
The Bible is a book of life, but the two notes, the demands and the promises, speak about two different lives. Your life here on earth and your eternal life. You life here on Earth is under the power of that first note, the law. You may not like it, but you must “Do things” and “Not do things.” If you do not do your homework, then you will fail. If you try to dance with the prettiest girl in the class, then you will be giggled at. If you do not do your job, you will be fired. If you do not trust in God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength God will be angry. When you follow the law, you become a good husband, a good mother, a good friend or a good citizen.
However, Paul says in Galatians chapter 2, “We know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.” Following God’s demands cannot give you eternal life by themselves. Thankfully, you now know that there are two words in the Bible. Not just demands, but promises. “The life you now live in the flesh you live by faith in the Son of God who loves you and gave himself for you.” It’s not about what you have done, but about what Jesus Christ has done for you. Not because he had to, but because he loves you.
When you read the Bible and you hear that you must do something, do it for the sake of your family, your friends, your world and your respect for God’s authority. The Law says, “Do this!”, but you aren’t doing these things for yourself, but for others. However, when you hear a promise, stop what you are doing and just listen and believe the words of eternal life from God. God promises, “Because I love you, you have been chosen for eternal life. When you come to believe that, for you, everything is done already. Amen.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Sermon for April 18th "Why is the Bible Important?"
Why do Christians, especially Lutheran Christians, make such a big deal out of the Bible? It’s only a book, right? There is nothing that special about any book. Some are big, some are little, some are shiny and some are old and falling apart. A book is only a book. During my college years, an intern pastor at my campus ministry church was teaching a class about Christian/Muslim relations and invited the Muslim student association at our state college to come one week so we could all discuss the similarities and differences between our faiths. That night, I remember that one of these students came out of the bathroom of our church with a horrified look on his face and started whispering to the rest of the group with him. A bit later, one of the group asked us how we could allow a holy book, such as the Bible, to sit in the bathroom. (I guess someone must have taken it in once cause they thought they’d be in there in awhile and left it in case someone else also might have some extra time on their hands to read.)
Why was this such a big deal? Well, for a Muslim, the Koran, their holiest of books, must be treated with the utmost respect. You wouldn’t risk degrading the cover, the pages or the binding by placing it next to a potty. But the Bible is not like the Koran. The Bible is as welcome in a bathroom stall as it is in the most expensive of hotels where the Gideons leave theirs. I know that in court, we are called to swear on the Bible, but putting your hand on the cover of a book, even on the cover of a Bible, really has nothing to do with the issue. In court, you are promising to tell the truth and, as a Christian, whether the book is there or not, telling a lie about your neighbor breaks the eighth commandment—THAT’S the problem. It’s what’s IN the Bible that matters, not just the book. The message is what matters.
For the next several weeks, I would like to focus on one part of the Bible, the book of Galatians and its message. It’s a small letter written by the apostle Paul, but it talks about some of the most important tenants of our faith in a very short amount of space. In today’s first reading from Galatians, after just a few opening lines, Paul explains the reason that he wrote this letter at all, “I am astonished,” he says, “that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.”
What is this “gospel” that Paul is talking about in his letter to the Galatians? What is the gospel and what does it have to do with the Bible? The word “gospel” just means “good news”. It’s a message, or a story, hot off the presses. The news of the day, so to speak. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the story of Jesus, the news about him. To make it real simple, here is the gospel in a nutshell. There are five parts: Jesus, the Son of God, was born as a human being, he died, he rose from the dead to become Lord of all. That’s the gospel. It’s the story of Jesus Christ.
The reason that Christians make such a big deal out of the Bible is that it holds the story of Jesus Christ in it. It’s got the gospel in its pages. It’s not the book that’s important; it’s the message in the book. Martin Luther called the Bible, “the cradle that holds the Christ child”. When people come to check out new babies, they don’t spend a lot of time oohing and ahhing over the crib or the cradle: it just the baby holder and we want to check out the baby. As Christians, Jesus Christ is the main thing and the container he comes in is of secondary importance. (picture of cradle with Jesus Christ)
A professor of mine was asked by his mother once which Bible was the best. He told her: for you, large print. It didn’t matter what translation it was because if she couldn’t read it, it wouldn’t matter. The best kind of Bible is the kind that you will actually want to read. This leads to all kinds of other questions: What kind of preacher is the best? Or what kind of sermon is the best? Or what kind of service, contemporary or traditional or blended is the best? Well, the kind that you will come to. The one that helps you hear the message the best. The answer might be different for somebody else. The message is more important than the container it comes in. While containers can change, the apostle Paul says that we must be careful not to change the message.
In the book of Galatians, Paul argued that the gospel, the story of Jesus Christ, was being changed by some people. And he says that people who change that message should be eternally condemned! Now THAT is a strong statement don’t you think? Why would he say something like that? I mean, what’s the problem with tweaking it a little bit to make it easier for us to swallow? What if you just have too hard of a time believing that Jesus could be really both God and a human being? What if you just want to respect Jesus as a man, but don’t want to worship him as God? Do you really HAVE to believe that he died and then rose from the dead? Well, if we change the message, it doesn’t matter what container we put it in—all is lost and so are we.
Why is the Bible important? Why does it have the final authority? Because the message in the Bible is different from any other book. The apostle Paul says why, “I want you to know, brother and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin—it’s not made up. I did not receive it from anyone, nor was I taught it, rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” The Bible may be made of pen and ink and the words written by human hands, but the message is inspired by God himself, the author of life. Paul knew that if the revelation of Jesus Christ could be changed, then what about all the rest of scripture? What about when you are told to honor a dishonorable father or honor? What if you are really, really thirsty and need to steal a water bottle from the local grocery store? What if you just have to tell that latest bit of juicy gossip or you’ll just BURST!!! If we can’t trust the revelation of the gospel, the story of Jesus Christ, then ALL God’s laws become questionable as well. But because the message is from God himself we can trust it just like we can trust God. The message is our authority because God is our authority.
But the Bible isn’t our authority just because it is inspired by God. The message in the Bible is so important for a reason that is referred to at the very end of the chapter, ‘The man who formerly persecuted Christians is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” The message of Jesus Christ, the message in the Bible, is our authority because it creates faith in our hearts—even creating faith in a man like Paul who once had killed Christians. It’s our authority because it authors our faith. It’s writes the story of our faith on our hearts. God uses this message to create faith in you.
Through the words of this message, God the Holy Spirit gives you faith. Those who heard the words first wrote it down for you and put it in a container: the Bible. The Bible finds its goal when you start believing. When you have heard and you are given faith. When you start looking to it as your authority. When you look to it for peace when times are difficult. When it causes you to repent when you do something wrong. When it provides guidance when you need direction. It’s the power of the message that gives the Bible its authority.
When you read the Bible at home or hear the message here at church, or discuss it with your friends Get Ready! Because when the message is heard, you might just find that God has written a new future for you, becoming the author of your eternal life, healing and forgiveness. Writing a new story on your heart. Sure, the Bible is only a book, but it contains a message of life for you. Jesus the Son of God was born a human being, died, was raised from the dead and has become Lord of all. That’s the message. But the power of the message is that he did all this for you. He is not just the Lord of all. He is your Lord. He is your God. He is your Authority. He is your Savior. Why is the Bible so important? Because it was written for you. Amen.
Why was this such a big deal? Well, for a Muslim, the Koran, their holiest of books, must be treated with the utmost respect. You wouldn’t risk degrading the cover, the pages or the binding by placing it next to a potty. But the Bible is not like the Koran. The Bible is as welcome in a bathroom stall as it is in the most expensive of hotels where the Gideons leave theirs. I know that in court, we are called to swear on the Bible, but putting your hand on the cover of a book, even on the cover of a Bible, really has nothing to do with the issue. In court, you are promising to tell the truth and, as a Christian, whether the book is there or not, telling a lie about your neighbor breaks the eighth commandment—THAT’S the problem. It’s what’s IN the Bible that matters, not just the book. The message is what matters.
For the next several weeks, I would like to focus on one part of the Bible, the book of Galatians and its message. It’s a small letter written by the apostle Paul, but it talks about some of the most important tenants of our faith in a very short amount of space. In today’s first reading from Galatians, after just a few opening lines, Paul explains the reason that he wrote this letter at all, “I am astonished,” he says, “that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.”
What is this “gospel” that Paul is talking about in his letter to the Galatians? What is the gospel and what does it have to do with the Bible? The word “gospel” just means “good news”. It’s a message, or a story, hot off the presses. The news of the day, so to speak. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the story of Jesus, the news about him. To make it real simple, here is the gospel in a nutshell. There are five parts: Jesus, the Son of God, was born as a human being, he died, he rose from the dead to become Lord of all. That’s the gospel. It’s the story of Jesus Christ.
The reason that Christians make such a big deal out of the Bible is that it holds the story of Jesus Christ in it. It’s got the gospel in its pages. It’s not the book that’s important; it’s the message in the book. Martin Luther called the Bible, “the cradle that holds the Christ child”. When people come to check out new babies, they don’t spend a lot of time oohing and ahhing over the crib or the cradle: it just the baby holder and we want to check out the baby. As Christians, Jesus Christ is the main thing and the container he comes in is of secondary importance. (picture of cradle with Jesus Christ)
A professor of mine was asked by his mother once which Bible was the best. He told her: for you, large print. It didn’t matter what translation it was because if she couldn’t read it, it wouldn’t matter. The best kind of Bible is the kind that you will actually want to read. This leads to all kinds of other questions: What kind of preacher is the best? Or what kind of sermon is the best? Or what kind of service, contemporary or traditional or blended is the best? Well, the kind that you will come to. The one that helps you hear the message the best. The answer might be different for somebody else. The message is more important than the container it comes in. While containers can change, the apostle Paul says that we must be careful not to change the message.
In the book of Galatians, Paul argued that the gospel, the story of Jesus Christ, was being changed by some people. And he says that people who change that message should be eternally condemned! Now THAT is a strong statement don’t you think? Why would he say something like that? I mean, what’s the problem with tweaking it a little bit to make it easier for us to swallow? What if you just have too hard of a time believing that Jesus could be really both God and a human being? What if you just want to respect Jesus as a man, but don’t want to worship him as God? Do you really HAVE to believe that he died and then rose from the dead? Well, if we change the message, it doesn’t matter what container we put it in—all is lost and so are we.
Why is the Bible important? Why does it have the final authority? Because the message in the Bible is different from any other book. The apostle Paul says why, “I want you to know, brother and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin—it’s not made up. I did not receive it from anyone, nor was I taught it, rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” The Bible may be made of pen and ink and the words written by human hands, but the message is inspired by God himself, the author of life. Paul knew that if the revelation of Jesus Christ could be changed, then what about all the rest of scripture? What about when you are told to honor a dishonorable father or honor? What if you are really, really thirsty and need to steal a water bottle from the local grocery store? What if you just have to tell that latest bit of juicy gossip or you’ll just BURST!!! If we can’t trust the revelation of the gospel, the story of Jesus Christ, then ALL God’s laws become questionable as well. But because the message is from God himself we can trust it just like we can trust God. The message is our authority because God is our authority.
But the Bible isn’t our authority just because it is inspired by God. The message in the Bible is so important for a reason that is referred to at the very end of the chapter, ‘The man who formerly persecuted Christians is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” The message of Jesus Christ, the message in the Bible, is our authority because it creates faith in our hearts—even creating faith in a man like Paul who once had killed Christians. It’s our authority because it authors our faith. It’s writes the story of our faith on our hearts. God uses this message to create faith in you.
Through the words of this message, God the Holy Spirit gives you faith. Those who heard the words first wrote it down for you and put it in a container: the Bible. The Bible finds its goal when you start believing. When you have heard and you are given faith. When you start looking to it as your authority. When you look to it for peace when times are difficult. When it causes you to repent when you do something wrong. When it provides guidance when you need direction. It’s the power of the message that gives the Bible its authority.
When you read the Bible at home or hear the message here at church, or discuss it with your friends Get Ready! Because when the message is heard, you might just find that God has written a new future for you, becoming the author of your eternal life, healing and forgiveness. Writing a new story on your heart. Sure, the Bible is only a book, but it contains a message of life for you. Jesus the Son of God was born a human being, died, was raised from the dead and has become Lord of all. That’s the message. But the power of the message is that he did all this for you. He is not just the Lord of all. He is your Lord. He is your God. He is your Authority. He is your Savior. Why is the Bible so important? Because it was written for you. Amen.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Sermon for April 4th (Easter)
Have you seen the sun shining outside the past few days! God created a gorgeous world for us. The flowers are blooming, with our yards full of bright yellow daffodils and deep purple crocuses! The trees and bushes are beginning to bud and the mountains all around us proclaim the greatness of God! What a life we have! You can spend you mornings on your knees in the flowerbeds or later in the evening hiking through trails at Mohawk. This is the day that the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it! Yet, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
“Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it, he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Jesus stayed two days longer and then leaves to go see his sick friend. However, when Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus, his friend died. He had already been in the tomb four days. Jesus came to the tomb and said, “Take away the stone.” Then, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out! The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead! Can you imagine! What joy there must have been that day! How surprised and awe struck and overcome with emotion Mary and Martha must have been at seeing their brother alive after mourning his death for four days! Then, can you imagine, their sadness, when Lazarus died again. Maybe weeks, or months or years later. To have him die all over again, because Lazarus was only human and, like the rest of us, he would have had to of died . . . again! Can you imagine what heartbreak they must have felt at that second death? Even though he had been raised from the dead already once! The apostle Paul says, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
What if, because you were a Christian, you were blessed with all these things: divine health, a favorable reputation, great moral character, a healthy family, a loving marriage, and a long meaningful life? Wouldn’t that be a great reason to be a Christian? When you do business with someone, does it make a difference to you if they are a Christian? In some towns, it stills matter that you belong to a church in order to make contacts and gain people’s respect and trust. To some people it will. Do you believe that you are healthier because of your faith in God? Many people find meaning in their life by becoming more religious and faithful. Parents often bring their children to Sunday School because the church teaches the right values. What if, because you were a Christian, you were blessed with all these things: divine health, a favorable reputation, great moral character, a healthy family, a loving marriage, and a long meaningful life? Wouldn’t that be a great reason to be a Christian? The apostle Paul says no, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
Jesus said that he came so that we might have life and have it abundantly, but not that we might simply have a good life here on Earth. Paul says, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” Jesus was a great teacher, a great preacher, a great healer, a prophet of justice, and a wonderful worker on the behalf of the oppressed and afflicted, but . . . if that is all he was then we are pitiful for following him. We would be wrong for worshipping him. Jesus was many things, but he was first and foremost your Savior. Not simply to help you escape from the troubles of this life, but so that you might have eternal life.
The Easter holiday has become focused on many other things that are not ultimately most important. It often focuses only on THIS life. It is about celebrating the Springtime after the long nights of winter. It is about getting together with family for good food, conversation and building relationships. It is about spreading happiness with flowers and candy and fun Easter games. Maybe it is even a time for us to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ but even if THAT is all we are celebrating we are most to be pitied. “But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.” Do you understand what that means for you! It means that on Easter is not only about this life, or that one event in history where Jesus rose from the dead. . . Easter is about the promise of YOUR resurrection. Not your escape from this life, but a new life for you after your death.
Christ is not the only one who’s resurrection we are celebrating today. We are celebrating the promise of YOUR resurrection. He is not the only apple on the tree—he is only the first fruits—God expects more apples! Good fruit! For as Paul says, “Since death came through a human being, the resurrection has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.” “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ . . . If for Jesus’ new life only we have hoped in Christ, we would all be people that should be pitied.” Being a Christian is not only about having a good life or living a good life. Being a Christian is not only about following some wonderful leader who is a great example for us. Being a Christian is not only about believing that some great man died and was raised from the dead! If that was all, this whole Christian thing would be pitiful.
But I do not pity a single one of you because Jesus has promised you eternal life. I do not pity a single one of you because your wonderful life, this beautiful world, this joyful time is NOT all that you will experience. Because Jesus died and was raised from the dead, when you die, God will raise you from the dead. I do not pity a single one of you because not only do you have a God who gives life abundantly, not only do you have a God who did the unimaginable and raised Jesus from the dead, but you have a God who did it all FOR YOU.
Today is Easter Day! So celebrate the day! Celebrate the resurrection! But it would be a pity to stop there . . . celebrate the fact that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead so that you might live with Him forever. Amen.
“Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it, he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Jesus stayed two days longer and then leaves to go see his sick friend. However, when Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus, his friend died. He had already been in the tomb four days. Jesus came to the tomb and said, “Take away the stone.” Then, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out! The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead! Can you imagine! What joy there must have been that day! How surprised and awe struck and overcome with emotion Mary and Martha must have been at seeing their brother alive after mourning his death for four days! Then, can you imagine, their sadness, when Lazarus died again. Maybe weeks, or months or years later. To have him die all over again, because Lazarus was only human and, like the rest of us, he would have had to of died . . . again! Can you imagine what heartbreak they must have felt at that second death? Even though he had been raised from the dead already once! The apostle Paul says, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
What if, because you were a Christian, you were blessed with all these things: divine health, a favorable reputation, great moral character, a healthy family, a loving marriage, and a long meaningful life? Wouldn’t that be a great reason to be a Christian? When you do business with someone, does it make a difference to you if they are a Christian? In some towns, it stills matter that you belong to a church in order to make contacts and gain people’s respect and trust. To some people it will. Do you believe that you are healthier because of your faith in God? Many people find meaning in their life by becoming more religious and faithful. Parents often bring their children to Sunday School because the church teaches the right values. What if, because you were a Christian, you were blessed with all these things: divine health, a favorable reputation, great moral character, a healthy family, a loving marriage, and a long meaningful life? Wouldn’t that be a great reason to be a Christian? The apostle Paul says no, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
Jesus said that he came so that we might have life and have it abundantly, but not that we might simply have a good life here on Earth. Paul says, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” Jesus was a great teacher, a great preacher, a great healer, a prophet of justice, and a wonderful worker on the behalf of the oppressed and afflicted, but . . . if that is all he was then we are pitiful for following him. We would be wrong for worshipping him. Jesus was many things, but he was first and foremost your Savior. Not simply to help you escape from the troubles of this life, but so that you might have eternal life.
The Easter holiday has become focused on many other things that are not ultimately most important. It often focuses only on THIS life. It is about celebrating the Springtime after the long nights of winter. It is about getting together with family for good food, conversation and building relationships. It is about spreading happiness with flowers and candy and fun Easter games. Maybe it is even a time for us to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ but even if THAT is all we are celebrating we are most to be pitied. “But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.” Do you understand what that means for you! It means that on Easter is not only about this life, or that one event in history where Jesus rose from the dead. . . Easter is about the promise of YOUR resurrection. Not your escape from this life, but a new life for you after your death.
Christ is not the only one who’s resurrection we are celebrating today. We are celebrating the promise of YOUR resurrection. He is not the only apple on the tree—he is only the first fruits—God expects more apples! Good fruit! For as Paul says, “Since death came through a human being, the resurrection has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.” “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ . . . If for Jesus’ new life only we have hoped in Christ, we would all be people that should be pitied.” Being a Christian is not only about having a good life or living a good life. Being a Christian is not only about following some wonderful leader who is a great example for us. Being a Christian is not only about believing that some great man died and was raised from the dead! If that was all, this whole Christian thing would be pitiful.
But I do not pity a single one of you because Jesus has promised you eternal life. I do not pity a single one of you because your wonderful life, this beautiful world, this joyful time is NOT all that you will experience. Because Jesus died and was raised from the dead, when you die, God will raise you from the dead. I do not pity a single one of you because not only do you have a God who gives life abundantly, not only do you have a God who did the unimaginable and raised Jesus from the dead, but you have a God who did it all FOR YOU.
Today is Easter Day! So celebrate the day! Celebrate the resurrection! But it would be a pity to stop there . . . celebrate the fact that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead so that you might live with Him forever. Amen.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sermon for March 28th
“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.” Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.
This is Passion Sunday, or Palm Sunday. It always seems to me that Passion Sunday would better belong around Valentine’s day to bring the crowds in. But do you know why we call this Passion Sunday? It’s not because I’m going to become extra intense or excited during the sermon, though that might happen, you’ll just have to wait and see, and it has nothing to do with romance as the word “passion” is commonly used nowadays.
The word passion literally means the same thing as suffering. To experience something operating on you from outside yourself—something out of your control. It has the same root in English as the word “passive”. Passion Sunday refers to how God acted toward his Son Jesus, and how he operates in our lives as well. Jesus suffered at the hands of his Father and, so, is humbled, beaten, spit on, mocked, crucified and buried. Then, on Easter day, Jesus suffers God his Father again and is raised from the dead. Jesus, the Son, is the not the actor in all of this, but the one acted upon.
Within the next week we will have heard about our Savior, Jesus, being beaten, spit on, mocked, crucified, killed and buried. We will then hear that this same Jesus was raised from the dead. This is called “the passion of our Lord”. Suffering is often looked at as something “bad” or even “evil”. To be passive is a kind of bad word in today’s language too often assuming some kind of lack of motivation or assertiveness. But the word passion means something more than this. This is the message of Passion Sunday: God is up to His elbows in all the events of life. Whether they look good or bad to us. Even in the death of His very own son Jesus Christ. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who suffered at the hands of God His Father just as you do today.
The story of Jesus’ suffering is meant not only to give us strength, but to give us faith and hope. Because this is the same experience that we will all have in our lives. There will be times when God acts in our lives and we consider it a horrible time of suffering, like when a loved one dies. There will be times when God acts in our lives and we consider it a joyous time of suffering, like when a loved one is healed. It’s good suffering, but I’m calling both these times suffering because they are both out of our control—they are in God’s hands—and we just deal with the consequences—good or bad.
The passion story of Jesus expresses the hope that everything in our lives is in fact in God’s hands whether we care to admit it or not. Whether we like it or not. And to be able to trust that God’s hands are in everything, both the good and bad, can give you a peace that passes all understanding. Jesus trusted that all things were in His Father’s hands, even though that meant he would suffer on the cross. He knew that suffering at God’s hands would always end up much better than trying to control his life by himself. “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.”
What is your passion story? I am suffering at God’s hands this very day. I have recently suffered the birth of a gorgeous and healthy baby boy. I don’t believe I had a lot of control over this. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t try to control the result by feeding my wife healthy food and hiring midwives that were experienced in delivering babies. But what, if any, difference that made I will never know. Many others have done the same and suffered unhealthy babies and sick mothers. We suffer the blessings of God just as we suffer the pains. It’s very much out of our hands. We suffer it. It is our passion story.
Rose has gone through a passion story here this morning as well. According to the apostle Paul, when she was baptized in Christ Jesus this morning she was baptized into death. She was buried by her baptism, into death, so that just as Christ was raised by the glory of the Father she too might walk in newness of life. Through no action of her own, Rose died this morning and through no action of her own, Rose was raised from the dead this morning to live with God forever. It’s His promise, His action, His wonderful work. Her passion story and her suffering. Like the rest of us, if little Rose can ever understand what it means for her to be the helpless beneficiary of God’s redeeming love then she’ll finally understand what it means to trust God through all those times in her life when she feels helpless. When she can’t control what’s happening, I pray that she’ll know that God is still working to love her.
Finally, our community of faith, here at Saint Peters, is going through a passion story as well. Easter Sunday will be my last Sunday here as your pastor and, a couple days later, my family will be moving across the country to a new call. Lots of things will be changing for your family and for mine. We will all suffer heartbreak and sadness for what has been lost as well as happiness and joy for what might be possible. Like many of you, sometimes I look over my two years here, and especially the last several months, and wonder what could have been done differently or said differently. What could we have controlled or changed that would have made a happier ending? The message of Passion Sunday is this: God is up to His elbows in all the events of life. Even this. Through it all. While it is tempting to second-guess his plans, we are called to be faithful to Him and trust him even now. That there will be resurrection after this death. That there is great hope in the midst of all these changes.
God has a plan in all of this. Just like he had a plan when Jesus was lying dead in a tomb. Like Jesus, in our passion stories we will all encounter death but, then again, just like Jesus, our stories will not end there. There will be joy after this sadness. There will be life after death. No matter how difficult the times, this is our passion story. God is holding each one of us in the palm of his hand. Amen.
This is Passion Sunday, or Palm Sunday. It always seems to me that Passion Sunday would better belong around Valentine’s day to bring the crowds in. But do you know why we call this Passion Sunday? It’s not because I’m going to become extra intense or excited during the sermon, though that might happen, you’ll just have to wait and see, and it has nothing to do with romance as the word “passion” is commonly used nowadays.
The word passion literally means the same thing as suffering. To experience something operating on you from outside yourself—something out of your control. It has the same root in English as the word “passive”. Passion Sunday refers to how God acted toward his Son Jesus, and how he operates in our lives as well. Jesus suffered at the hands of his Father and, so, is humbled, beaten, spit on, mocked, crucified and buried. Then, on Easter day, Jesus suffers God his Father again and is raised from the dead. Jesus, the Son, is the not the actor in all of this, but the one acted upon.
Within the next week we will have heard about our Savior, Jesus, being beaten, spit on, mocked, crucified, killed and buried. We will then hear that this same Jesus was raised from the dead. This is called “the passion of our Lord”. Suffering is often looked at as something “bad” or even “evil”. To be passive is a kind of bad word in today’s language too often assuming some kind of lack of motivation or assertiveness. But the word passion means something more than this. This is the message of Passion Sunday: God is up to His elbows in all the events of life. Whether they look good or bad to us. Even in the death of His very own son Jesus Christ. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who suffered at the hands of God His Father just as you do today.
The story of Jesus’ suffering is meant not only to give us strength, but to give us faith and hope. Because this is the same experience that we will all have in our lives. There will be times when God acts in our lives and we consider it a horrible time of suffering, like when a loved one dies. There will be times when God acts in our lives and we consider it a joyous time of suffering, like when a loved one is healed. It’s good suffering, but I’m calling both these times suffering because they are both out of our control—they are in God’s hands—and we just deal with the consequences—good or bad.
The passion story of Jesus expresses the hope that everything in our lives is in fact in God’s hands whether we care to admit it or not. Whether we like it or not. And to be able to trust that God’s hands are in everything, both the good and bad, can give you a peace that passes all understanding. Jesus trusted that all things were in His Father’s hands, even though that meant he would suffer on the cross. He knew that suffering at God’s hands would always end up much better than trying to control his life by himself. “Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.”
What is your passion story? I am suffering at God’s hands this very day. I have recently suffered the birth of a gorgeous and healthy baby boy. I don’t believe I had a lot of control over this. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t try to control the result by feeding my wife healthy food and hiring midwives that were experienced in delivering babies. But what, if any, difference that made I will never know. Many others have done the same and suffered unhealthy babies and sick mothers. We suffer the blessings of God just as we suffer the pains. It’s very much out of our hands. We suffer it. It is our passion story.
Rose has gone through a passion story here this morning as well. According to the apostle Paul, when she was baptized in Christ Jesus this morning she was baptized into death. She was buried by her baptism, into death, so that just as Christ was raised by the glory of the Father she too might walk in newness of life. Through no action of her own, Rose died this morning and through no action of her own, Rose was raised from the dead this morning to live with God forever. It’s His promise, His action, His wonderful work. Her passion story and her suffering. Like the rest of us, if little Rose can ever understand what it means for her to be the helpless beneficiary of God’s redeeming love then she’ll finally understand what it means to trust God through all those times in her life when she feels helpless. When she can’t control what’s happening, I pray that she’ll know that God is still working to love her.
Finally, our community of faith, here at Saint Peters, is going through a passion story as well. Easter Sunday will be my last Sunday here as your pastor and, a couple days later, my family will be moving across the country to a new call. Lots of things will be changing for your family and for mine. We will all suffer heartbreak and sadness for what has been lost as well as happiness and joy for what might be possible. Like many of you, sometimes I look over my two years here, and especially the last several months, and wonder what could have been done differently or said differently. What could we have controlled or changed that would have made a happier ending? The message of Passion Sunday is this: God is up to His elbows in all the events of life. Even this. Through it all. While it is tempting to second-guess his plans, we are called to be faithful to Him and trust him even now. That there will be resurrection after this death. That there is great hope in the midst of all these changes.
God has a plan in all of this. Just like he had a plan when Jesus was lying dead in a tomb. Like Jesus, in our passion stories we will all encounter death but, then again, just like Jesus, our stories will not end there. There will be joy after this sadness. There will be life after death. No matter how difficult the times, this is our passion story. God is holding each one of us in the palm of his hand. Amen.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Sermon for March 14th
“Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sin is put away! Happy are they to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, and in whose spirit there is no guile!” The thesis of psalm 32 is this: Repentance and forgiveness gives health, salvation and wholeness.
The writer of this psalm begins by explaining his situation: “While I held my tongue, my bones withered away because of my groaning all day long.” In another translation of this verse, it says, “While I kept silence, my body wasted away.” What does it mean to “keep silence”? He has been silent about his sin before God. He either has not confessed his sins and/or he has not repented of them before God. These sins are still affecting his life. The writer describes what his deceitfulness before God—his refusal to admit and turn away from sin—what that did to him: “While I held my tongue, my bones withered away. For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; my strength was dried up as in the heat of summer.”
Many people do not believe that sin bears any consequences. You’ve no doubt met people who seem to do whatever they want, good or bad, and feel exonerated by the fact that they never seem to get in trouble. As a verse from the book of Malachi puts it, “What do we profit by keeping God’s command or by going about as mourners before the Lord of hosts? The arrogant are happy; evildoers not only prosper, but when they put God to the test they escape!”
But the Bible tells us again and again that there is a connection between sin and disease, faith and healing, “Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed” the book of James says. The apostle Paul writes, “Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves. For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.” When Jesus was approached by a sick woman he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Still, one would be hard pressed to always find a cause and effect relationship between one particular sin and a sickness. As Jesus explains in the gospel of Matthew, “God makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.” In our day and age, Christians seem to get sick as much as non-Christians . . . why?
According to scripture, is all sickness caused by sin? Yes, but what sin or whose sin isn’t always clear. “As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.” It is tempting to place blame for all sickness and pain in our lives, just like Job’s friends tried to blame Job for all that had happened to him. You see, Job did not become sick because of any particular sin he had committed; however, while he was griping against God for his undeserved suffering, trying to justify himself rather than God, he became prideful. So in the end, it was still only through repentance that Job was healed.
Many people do not believe that sin bears any consequences. Others might admit that there are consequences to sin, but only after death. Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead, but that does not mean that we still do not reap what we sow right here one Earth as well. Scripture says sin creates sickness. So if you or I are sick and suffering, why do we not look to God and repent in order to see where we may be out of line with God’s will? Why!?
Because we have heard stories. You have no doubt heard stories about how some Christians have refused to go to the doctor and died from an easily treatable sickness. Why does this happen? Because some believe there is no mystery to God’s healing. That they can decide when and where and how it’s going to happen. Imagine the arguments: If sickness is caused by sin and sin alone, going to a doctor won’t help—only prayer will. And if you truly have faith, it’s your own fault if you suffer or die. You just didn’t believe correctly.
You have no doubt heard stories of how people have been terrorized by feelings of guilt and hopelessness when, despite their fervent prayers, prayers of repentance and prayers of faith, they still don’t get better. Francis McNutt, the well known faith healer, tells this story: I remember once when we were praying at a Christian college for the students, one by one, and a lovely young woman came up When we asked what she would like us to pray for, she stammered and couldn’t tell us. Finally she said, ‘They say I have a brain tumor.’ But, ‘Who is they? It’s the doctors.’ She had been prayed for and her well-meaing ministers told her afterwards that the tumor was a ‘lying symptom.’ When she told us this, she burst into tears. A month later, her mother wrote, letting us know that she had died and thanking us for our encouragement. The group who had prayed for her didn’t even come to the hospital; they abandoned her in her hour of greatest need when she was struggling with a feeling that God had abandoned her.
God says to each of us, “My ways are not your ways and my thoughts are not your thoughts.” There are mysteries to sickness and suffering. There are mysteries to faith and healing. We will never fully understand how God works. However, despite the storylines we know all too well, shouldn’t the stories and promises in scripture mean something too? Scripture tells us plainly: sin causes sickness. God commands us to repent of our sins and we will be healed. In the Bible, healing is normal and expected. Perhaps we’ve missed something very important in trying to protect ourselves from abuses and disappointment.
Psalm 32, “While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, because of my groaning all day long. For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; my strength was dried up as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and did not conceal my guilt. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.” I have spoken to you these last few weeks about repentance and perhaps you have even considered it once or twice. But, then again, maybe you didn’t think that it was really that necessary because you have more time. You’re doing good enough. You’re healthy! You’re happy! While it may be uncomfortable for you and I to hear this, scripture makes it clear, unconfessed sin hurts you in mind and body and it hurts your relationship to God.
Psalm 32 goes on, “Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in time of trouble; when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them. You are my hiding-place; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.” Both of my children have a peculiar habit which you may recognize. Sometimes, when they do something wrong and they are caught, they close their eyes. As if, by closing their eyes and blinding themselves to their sin, they have blinded me and their mother from it as well. And until they open their eyes and deal with the consequences of their actions, they are being affected by their choices and our relationship to them is affected. In the same way, when we sin against God or one another and choose to hide our faces from our mistakes, to keep silent, rather than confess our sins before God we will suffer. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth.”
Again and again in the Bible, physical and mental sickness and disease is said to be casued by sin and healed through repentance, forgiveness, faith and prayer. Are we paying attention to these words? Words from God that might give us faith? Or are we simply listening to the stories that cause us to doubt. What might change in your life if you took God at his word?
The psalmist says that we must find a different hiding place. We must stand, naked and exposed in the light of God, and say, “You, Lord, are my hiding place.” You see, most of the time, when my children finally open their eyes and admit that they have done something wrong, after a few tears they jump into my arms and bury their faces in my chest or armpit. We must hide in the light of God and not in the darkness of our lives.
Listen, there are many suffering today including many of our loved ones. There are so many sicknesses and diseases out there that doctors can treat but not cure. And yet, even though we know we are sinners and even though we hear this clear sin/sickness connection in the Bible, we are so much more likely to want to blame “luck” or say that “God sent this disease so it must be good for me” rather than to look at ourselves and ask the question, “Where is there still sin in my life?” I believe that God blesses us with doctors and nurses and we would be silly to forego medical treatment for ourselves or those we love when we are sick. However, aren’t we being just as silly, if not arrogant, to believe that our sicknesses and diseases have nothing to do with our sin?
As we focus on repentance this Lent, do not forget that Jesus Christ died for the ungodly on the cross. He did not come for the healthy but for the sick! He did not come for the righteous but for the unrighteous! So if you are sick and unrighteous, Jesus Christ is for you. Repent and trust in the Lord who is gracious and merciful. If you are weak under the weight of God’s heavy hands, trust in the Lord and in his mercy to redeem you. Do not simply trust in your ability to keep the law and refrain from sin, for the law says “Do this!” and it is never done! The gospel says “Believe in Jesus Christ and the power of his cross and his blood” and everything is done already. Salvation, healing and wholeness. Repent and believe in the good news! Amen.
The writer of this psalm begins by explaining his situation: “While I held my tongue, my bones withered away because of my groaning all day long.” In another translation of this verse, it says, “While I kept silence, my body wasted away.” What does it mean to “keep silence”? He has been silent about his sin before God. He either has not confessed his sins and/or he has not repented of them before God. These sins are still affecting his life. The writer describes what his deceitfulness before God—his refusal to admit and turn away from sin—what that did to him: “While I held my tongue, my bones withered away. For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; my strength was dried up as in the heat of summer.”
Many people do not believe that sin bears any consequences. You’ve no doubt met people who seem to do whatever they want, good or bad, and feel exonerated by the fact that they never seem to get in trouble. As a verse from the book of Malachi puts it, “What do we profit by keeping God’s command or by going about as mourners before the Lord of hosts? The arrogant are happy; evildoers not only prosper, but when they put God to the test they escape!”
But the Bible tells us again and again that there is a connection between sin and disease, faith and healing, “Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed” the book of James says. The apostle Paul writes, “Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves. For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.” When Jesus was approached by a sick woman he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Still, one would be hard pressed to always find a cause and effect relationship between one particular sin and a sickness. As Jesus explains in the gospel of Matthew, “God makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.” In our day and age, Christians seem to get sick as much as non-Christians . . . why?
According to scripture, is all sickness caused by sin? Yes, but what sin or whose sin isn’t always clear. “As Jesus walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.” It is tempting to place blame for all sickness and pain in our lives, just like Job’s friends tried to blame Job for all that had happened to him. You see, Job did not become sick because of any particular sin he had committed; however, while he was griping against God for his undeserved suffering, trying to justify himself rather than God, he became prideful. So in the end, it was still only through repentance that Job was healed.
Many people do not believe that sin bears any consequences. Others might admit that there are consequences to sin, but only after death. Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead, but that does not mean that we still do not reap what we sow right here one Earth as well. Scripture says sin creates sickness. So if you or I are sick and suffering, why do we not look to God and repent in order to see where we may be out of line with God’s will? Why!?
Because we have heard stories. You have no doubt heard stories about how some Christians have refused to go to the doctor and died from an easily treatable sickness. Why does this happen? Because some believe there is no mystery to God’s healing. That they can decide when and where and how it’s going to happen. Imagine the arguments: If sickness is caused by sin and sin alone, going to a doctor won’t help—only prayer will. And if you truly have faith, it’s your own fault if you suffer or die. You just didn’t believe correctly.
You have no doubt heard stories of how people have been terrorized by feelings of guilt and hopelessness when, despite their fervent prayers, prayers of repentance and prayers of faith, they still don’t get better. Francis McNutt, the well known faith healer, tells this story: I remember once when we were praying at a Christian college for the students, one by one, and a lovely young woman came up When we asked what she would like us to pray for, she stammered and couldn’t tell us. Finally she said, ‘They say I have a brain tumor.’ But, ‘Who is they? It’s the doctors.’ She had been prayed for and her well-meaing ministers told her afterwards that the tumor was a ‘lying symptom.’ When she told us this, she burst into tears. A month later, her mother wrote, letting us know that she had died and thanking us for our encouragement. The group who had prayed for her didn’t even come to the hospital; they abandoned her in her hour of greatest need when she was struggling with a feeling that God had abandoned her.
God says to each of us, “My ways are not your ways and my thoughts are not your thoughts.” There are mysteries to sickness and suffering. There are mysteries to faith and healing. We will never fully understand how God works. However, despite the storylines we know all too well, shouldn’t the stories and promises in scripture mean something too? Scripture tells us plainly: sin causes sickness. God commands us to repent of our sins and we will be healed. In the Bible, healing is normal and expected. Perhaps we’ve missed something very important in trying to protect ourselves from abuses and disappointment.
Psalm 32, “While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, because of my groaning all day long. For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; my strength was dried up as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and did not conceal my guilt. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.” I have spoken to you these last few weeks about repentance and perhaps you have even considered it once or twice. But, then again, maybe you didn’t think that it was really that necessary because you have more time. You’re doing good enough. You’re healthy! You’re happy! While it may be uncomfortable for you and I to hear this, scripture makes it clear, unconfessed sin hurts you in mind and body and it hurts your relationship to God.
Psalm 32 goes on, “Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in time of trouble; when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them. You are my hiding-place; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.” Both of my children have a peculiar habit which you may recognize. Sometimes, when they do something wrong and they are caught, they close their eyes. As if, by closing their eyes and blinding themselves to their sin, they have blinded me and their mother from it as well. And until they open their eyes and deal with the consequences of their actions, they are being affected by their choices and our relationship to them is affected. In the same way, when we sin against God or one another and choose to hide our faces from our mistakes, to keep silent, rather than confess our sins before God we will suffer. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth.”
Again and again in the Bible, physical and mental sickness and disease is said to be casued by sin and healed through repentance, forgiveness, faith and prayer. Are we paying attention to these words? Words from God that might give us faith? Or are we simply listening to the stories that cause us to doubt. What might change in your life if you took God at his word?
The psalmist says that we must find a different hiding place. We must stand, naked and exposed in the light of God, and say, “You, Lord, are my hiding place.” You see, most of the time, when my children finally open their eyes and admit that they have done something wrong, after a few tears they jump into my arms and bury their faces in my chest or armpit. We must hide in the light of God and not in the darkness of our lives.
Listen, there are many suffering today including many of our loved ones. There are so many sicknesses and diseases out there that doctors can treat but not cure. And yet, even though we know we are sinners and even though we hear this clear sin/sickness connection in the Bible, we are so much more likely to want to blame “luck” or say that “God sent this disease so it must be good for me” rather than to look at ourselves and ask the question, “Where is there still sin in my life?” I believe that God blesses us with doctors and nurses and we would be silly to forego medical treatment for ourselves or those we love when we are sick. However, aren’t we being just as silly, if not arrogant, to believe that our sicknesses and diseases have nothing to do with our sin?
As we focus on repentance this Lent, do not forget that Jesus Christ died for the ungodly on the cross. He did not come for the healthy but for the sick! He did not come for the righteous but for the unrighteous! So if you are sick and unrighteous, Jesus Christ is for you. Repent and trust in the Lord who is gracious and merciful. If you are weak under the weight of God’s heavy hands, trust in the Lord and in his mercy to redeem you. Do not simply trust in your ability to keep the law and refrain from sin, for the law says “Do this!” and it is never done! The gospel says “Believe in Jesus Christ and the power of his cross and his blood” and everything is done already. Salvation, healing and wholeness. Repent and believe in the good news! Amen.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Sermon for March 10th
“Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me!” Says the Lord. “But you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In your tithes and offerings! Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.”
The word stewardship gets thrown around a lot in church, but I don’t really think most of us understand what “stewardship” means. Let me give you an example of what a steward is. Right now, I am going to take out ten dollar bills and give it to one of you. I am going to say this, “Could you please take care of this for me.” However, I’m not going to ask for it back, even though it’s mine. In fact, I want you to use it. I also want you to remember something very important—that ten dollars is not yours. It’s mine. You are simply taking care of it for me. In biblical times, they would call a person who did this the “steward” of my money. The steward can use the money, but they do not own the money.
Because that ten dollars is mine, that I am giving to you to take care of for me, I have some directions for you on how to use it. Because it’s mine. I’d like you to take one dollar bill and place it in the offering plate in order to encourage the ministries here at Saint Peters. You can put more than that in if you’d like, but all I’m asking is to put one dollar bill in the offering plate tonight. One out of the ten. With the other nine dollars, you can do whatever you want. You can save it. You can waste it. You can spend it. You can give it away. Remember, it’s MY money. But . . . I’m letting you use it. Here we go . . . . (Money gets handed out)
Now. Here’s my question. What will happen if, after the service tonight, I don’t find one of my dollar bills in the offering plate? How do you think that I will feel about that? I’ve made it very clear that while the money I just gave away is a gift, there are directions about how to use it. How would you feel if you let someone watch over your money and they used it in a way that was not in line with how you wanted it used? I’d feel frustrated. Disappointed and, maybe, even a little angry.
The Lord spoke through the prophet Malachi saying, “Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In your tithes and offerings! Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” God has given us all a lot more than ten dollars. A lot more. And, furthermore, he has given us a lot more than simply money. He has blessed us with long lives, bodies that can work hard, minds that can process great amounts of information and spiritual gifts to serve on another with. But He has also made something very clear: your money, your time, your bodies, your minds, your gifts and your lives are not your own. You are the stewards of these gifts. God gives you all these things to use, but He is their rightful owner.
And He has some directions for you. You’ve heard some of these directions before I hope. Honor your Father and Mother. You shall not kill. Love your neighbor as yourself. Glorify God in your body. Another commandment that was given to the Israelites, referred to by Jesus and carried on by many Christians today is called tithing: giving ten percent of your income to your local church to support its ministries. Out of every ten dollars you earn, one dollar is to be put in the offering plate. We are called to do these things God has directions for us on how to use the gifts he has given.
Tonight, through the prophet Malachi, God calls us all to make an accounting of how much we have stolen from God. And to stop stealing from Him. Have you given money to the church as you have been directed? Have you given your time and talents? Have you been glorifying God in your body? So many of us argue that we just can’t do these things! We don’t have enough time to think let alone serve at the soup kitchen. We’ve got too many things to do on Sunday mornings that church just gets in the way. How can we give ten percent of our income when we don’t have enough as there is! God says this: “Put me to the test.”
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” Try me! God says. Stop stealing my money, my time my gifts that I have given you and see if you will really become destitute and overworked as you imagine. “Just try me and prove me wrong!” God promises that when you follow his directions for His gifts, you will find that there is always more than enough left over for you. In fact, Jesus maintains that the better you follow God’s directions on how to use his gifts, the more He will trust you with greater gifts. These gifts are not yours! They are God’s. You are only the stewards. “Return to me and I will return to you," the Lord says, "and see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing .” Amen.
The word stewardship gets thrown around a lot in church, but I don’t really think most of us understand what “stewardship” means. Let me give you an example of what a steward is. Right now, I am going to take out ten dollar bills and give it to one of you. I am going to say this, “Could you please take care of this for me.” However, I’m not going to ask for it back, even though it’s mine. In fact, I want you to use it. I also want you to remember something very important—that ten dollars is not yours. It’s mine. You are simply taking care of it for me. In biblical times, they would call a person who did this the “steward” of my money. The steward can use the money, but they do not own the money.
Because that ten dollars is mine, that I am giving to you to take care of for me, I have some directions for you on how to use it. Because it’s mine. I’d like you to take one dollar bill and place it in the offering plate in order to encourage the ministries here at Saint Peters. You can put more than that in if you’d like, but all I’m asking is to put one dollar bill in the offering plate tonight. One out of the ten. With the other nine dollars, you can do whatever you want. You can save it. You can waste it. You can spend it. You can give it away. Remember, it’s MY money. But . . . I’m letting you use it. Here we go . . . . (Money gets handed out)
Now. Here’s my question. What will happen if, after the service tonight, I don’t find one of my dollar bills in the offering plate? How do you think that I will feel about that? I’ve made it very clear that while the money I just gave away is a gift, there are directions about how to use it. How would you feel if you let someone watch over your money and they used it in a way that was not in line with how you wanted it used? I’d feel frustrated. Disappointed and, maybe, even a little angry.
The Lord spoke through the prophet Malachi saying, “Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In your tithes and offerings! Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” God has given us all a lot more than ten dollars. A lot more. And, furthermore, he has given us a lot more than simply money. He has blessed us with long lives, bodies that can work hard, minds that can process great amounts of information and spiritual gifts to serve on another with. But He has also made something very clear: your money, your time, your bodies, your minds, your gifts and your lives are not your own. You are the stewards of these gifts. God gives you all these things to use, but He is their rightful owner.
And He has some directions for you. You’ve heard some of these directions before I hope. Honor your Father and Mother. You shall not kill. Love your neighbor as yourself. Glorify God in your body. Another commandment that was given to the Israelites, referred to by Jesus and carried on by many Christians today is called tithing: giving ten percent of your income to your local church to support its ministries. Out of every ten dollars you earn, one dollar is to be put in the offering plate. We are called to do these things God has directions for us on how to use the gifts he has given.
Tonight, through the prophet Malachi, God calls us all to make an accounting of how much we have stolen from God. And to stop stealing from Him. Have you given money to the church as you have been directed? Have you given your time and talents? Have you been glorifying God in your body? So many of us argue that we just can’t do these things! We don’t have enough time to think let alone serve at the soup kitchen. We’ve got too many things to do on Sunday mornings that church just gets in the way. How can we give ten percent of our income when we don’t have enough as there is! God says this: “Put me to the test.”
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing.” Try me! God says. Stop stealing my money, my time my gifts that I have given you and see if you will really become destitute and overworked as you imagine. “Just try me and prove me wrong!” God promises that when you follow his directions for His gifts, you will find that there is always more than enough left over for you. In fact, Jesus maintains that the better you follow God’s directions on how to use his gifts, the more He will trust you with greater gifts. These gifts are not yours! They are God’s. You are only the stewards. “Return to me and I will return to you," the Lord says, "and see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing .” Amen.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Sermon for March 7th
Is God in control of natural disasters, like those we have witnessed recently in Haiti and Chile? Yes. In fact, to argue that God is not in control of these events is to strip him of the glory he deserves, “Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; worship the Lord in holy splendor. The voice of the Lord flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, “Glory!”.
Does God create earthquakes? What does the Bible say? When Jesus died there was an earthquake. When the women went to the tomb, there was an earthquake, for an angel of the Lord rolled away the stone. In Acts chapter 16, when Paul and Silas had been thrown into prison, suddenly there was an earthquake and they were set free. In Revelation chapter 11, John has a vision of a great earthquake where a tenth of a city falls, seven thousand people are killed and, according to the Word of the Lord, “the rest are terrified and give glory to the God of heaven.” In Matthew, Mark and Luke Jesus explains that earthquakes will be one of the birthpangs to tell us when Jesus is coming again.
The prophet Nahum reminds us, “A jealous and avenging God is the Lord, the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and rages against his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger but great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in the whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither, and the bloom of Lebanon fades. The mountains quake before him, and the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who live in it. Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and by him the rocks are broken in pieces.” Does God create earthquakes? Yes. Of course he does.
But, what about suffering? Does God cause suffering? Yes. Does God cause all suffering? No. We cause a great deal of it all on our own, don’t we. We suffer at the hands of others. Others suffer at our hands. Much suffering is caused by sin. God will not take the blame for that—for the sins that we commit. However, as sinners, we do suffer at God’s hands. 1 Samuel 2:6, “The Lord kills and makes alive. He brings down to the grave and he raises up.” Deuteronomy 32:39, “See now that I, even I, am he; there is no god beside me. I kill and I make alive. I would and I heal; and no one can deliver from my hand.” Isaiah 45:7, “I form light and create darkness. I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things.”
We suffer God’s judgment. We suffer God’s wrath. One might even say we suffer God’s resurrection finally for we are perfectly passive in that regard as well. Evil actions can cause suffering, but not all suffering is evil. Perhaps that is why we call the occasion of our Savior’s crucifixion and death “Good Friday.”
Jesus asks in Luke chapter 13 today, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?” It appears that some Jews had been killed while sacrificing in the temple at Jerusalem and the question Jesus poses to those around him is this: Do you think you are more righteous than they because you have not suffered the same fate? Jesus responds to his own question, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.”
We are all unholy, unrighteous, sick sinners apart from Jesus Christ. We deserve nothing but punishment for our sins. But when earthquakes or tornados or floods or accidents or diseases happen to us, our first instinct is to say that God had nothing to do with it! These are bad things! And God is good! We want to get God out of the picture. Why? Because to confess God’s responsibility is to confess our own responsibility.
Yes, God causes earthquakes. Because of sin? Yes. Because of sin. So what should we do? Blame the Haitians for being sinners for we know that they are? No one is righteous. Not even one. What should we do? Rebuke the Chileans for being unrighteous for we know from scripture that this too is a fact? Shall we blame and accuse those people? No. We should repent of OUR sins. We should repent knowing that it is but by the grace of God that we are not living out on the streets in front of our own devastated houses. We are no better or worse because we are all at God’s mercy.
Jesus goes on, “What about those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.” You see, Jesus does not absolve the eighteen victims who were killed when a tower fell on them as if they were guiltless. But neither does he absolve the others still living in Jerusalem who were spared. It is only because God is merciful, and patient, that we live to theologize about earthquakes in far away lands rather than suffering from their effects ourselves.
Jesus told this parable, “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil? The gardener replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”
Immediately after calling those around Him to repentance in the face of God’s judgment, in the face of great suffering, Jesus tells this parable about a fig tree. How much more clearly could He make His point? You and I are not bearing fruit. We should be cut down. Suffer an earthquake Suffer persecution. Suffer an accidental falling of a tower upon us—but God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Still, as long as we refuse to confess our sins and refuse to believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior—we will not bear fruit. We will be cut down eventually. For apart from Jesus you can do nothing.
Now for the good news: Manure! Hallelujah for manure! That’s the good news. For you have a patient and loving gardener in Jesus Christ who cares for you enough to pile it on so that you might grow and bear fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This is what God expects from us and, in order to produce, he fills our lives with manure (to put it biblically).
What does this manure look like? Suffering. Persecution. Hardship. Distress. Sometimes famine, nakedness or sword. Sometimes earthquakes. As Saint Peter’s first letter points out, “Rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold and gold, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Sometimes it’s the manure in your life that ends up being the blessing because, very often, it is the suffering sent from God that brings you to faith in Jesus Christ alone. The suffering caused by the two recent earthquakes certainly isn’t good. But if they cause us to repent of our sins, then God has used even such an awful thing as an earthquake for our good.
It was the manure in Joseph’s life that showed him God’s glory. He was tossed in a pit and sold as a slave to Pharaoh by his eleven brothers. He was wrongly accused of coming onto Pharaoh’s wife and thrown into jail. But from this fresh pile of manure came the great confession of faith that Joseph told his brothers, “Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” Praise God for manure!
Jesus was betrayed, abandoned, rejected, beaten, mocked, crucified and buried. And from this suffering came the most glorious event of all time: Jesus rose from the dead by the glory of His Father so that you too might walk in newness of life. Thank God for the manure he sends!
Is God in control of natural disasters? Yes. Does God cause suffering? Yes, very often he does. But, when you look at your life, I pray that you might realize that even in the most horrible events you have gone through sometimes bring you closest to God’s heart. In all things, even suffering, God works for the good of those who love Him. When you realize that you are too weak to live on your own and begin to trust in Jesus as your fortress. When you finally confess that your sins have turned your world into a mess and you surrender your life to God. Yes God creates earthquakes. But even in all of this suffering, he promises that he is working for good. When he sends the manure: repent. When he sends the manure: trust in Him alone. Perhaps by the power of the Holy Spirit, as God works through this suffering, you and I will finally start producing fruit for the kingdom of God! Amen.
Does God create earthquakes? What does the Bible say? When Jesus died there was an earthquake. When the women went to the tomb, there was an earthquake, for an angel of the Lord rolled away the stone. In Acts chapter 16, when Paul and Silas had been thrown into prison, suddenly there was an earthquake and they were set free. In Revelation chapter 11, John has a vision of a great earthquake where a tenth of a city falls, seven thousand people are killed and, according to the Word of the Lord, “the rest are terrified and give glory to the God of heaven.” In Matthew, Mark and Luke Jesus explains that earthquakes will be one of the birthpangs to tell us when Jesus is coming again.
The prophet Nahum reminds us, “A jealous and avenging God is the Lord, the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and rages against his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger but great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty. His way is in the whirlwind and storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and makes it dry, and he dries up all the rivers; Bashan and Carmel wither, and the bloom of Lebanon fades. The mountains quake before him, and the hills melt; the earth heaves before him, the world and all who live in it. Who can stand before his indignation? Who can endure the heat of his anger? His wrath is poured out like fire, and by him the rocks are broken in pieces.” Does God create earthquakes? Yes. Of course he does.
But, what about suffering? Does God cause suffering? Yes. Does God cause all suffering? No. We cause a great deal of it all on our own, don’t we. We suffer at the hands of others. Others suffer at our hands. Much suffering is caused by sin. God will not take the blame for that—for the sins that we commit. However, as sinners, we do suffer at God’s hands. 1 Samuel 2:6, “The Lord kills and makes alive. He brings down to the grave and he raises up.” Deuteronomy 32:39, “See now that I, even I, am he; there is no god beside me. I kill and I make alive. I would and I heal; and no one can deliver from my hand.” Isaiah 45:7, “I form light and create darkness. I make weal and create woe; I the Lord do all these things.”
We suffer God’s judgment. We suffer God’s wrath. One might even say we suffer God’s resurrection finally for we are perfectly passive in that regard as well. Evil actions can cause suffering, but not all suffering is evil. Perhaps that is why we call the occasion of our Savior’s crucifixion and death “Good Friday.”
Jesus asks in Luke chapter 13 today, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?” It appears that some Jews had been killed while sacrificing in the temple at Jerusalem and the question Jesus poses to those around him is this: Do you think you are more righteous than they because you have not suffered the same fate? Jesus responds to his own question, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did.”
We are all unholy, unrighteous, sick sinners apart from Jesus Christ. We deserve nothing but punishment for our sins. But when earthquakes or tornados or floods or accidents or diseases happen to us, our first instinct is to say that God had nothing to do with it! These are bad things! And God is good! We want to get God out of the picture. Why? Because to confess God’s responsibility is to confess our own responsibility.
Yes, God causes earthquakes. Because of sin? Yes. Because of sin. So what should we do? Blame the Haitians for being sinners for we know that they are? No one is righteous. Not even one. What should we do? Rebuke the Chileans for being unrighteous for we know from scripture that this too is a fact? Shall we blame and accuse those people? No. We should repent of OUR sins. We should repent knowing that it is but by the grace of God that we are not living out on the streets in front of our own devastated houses. We are no better or worse because we are all at God’s mercy.
Jesus goes on, “What about those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.” You see, Jesus does not absolve the eighteen victims who were killed when a tower fell on them as if they were guiltless. But neither does he absolve the others still living in Jerusalem who were spared. It is only because God is merciful, and patient, that we live to theologize about earthquakes in far away lands rather than suffering from their effects ourselves.
Jesus told this parable, “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil? The gardener replied, “Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.”
Immediately after calling those around Him to repentance in the face of God’s judgment, in the face of great suffering, Jesus tells this parable about a fig tree. How much more clearly could He make His point? You and I are not bearing fruit. We should be cut down. Suffer an earthquake Suffer persecution. Suffer an accidental falling of a tower upon us—but God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Still, as long as we refuse to confess our sins and refuse to believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior—we will not bear fruit. We will be cut down eventually. For apart from Jesus you can do nothing.
Now for the good news: Manure! Hallelujah for manure! That’s the good news. For you have a patient and loving gardener in Jesus Christ who cares for you enough to pile it on so that you might grow and bear fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This is what God expects from us and, in order to produce, he fills our lives with manure (to put it biblically).
What does this manure look like? Suffering. Persecution. Hardship. Distress. Sometimes famine, nakedness or sword. Sometimes earthquakes. As Saint Peter’s first letter points out, “Rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold and gold, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Sometimes it’s the manure in your life that ends up being the blessing because, very often, it is the suffering sent from God that brings you to faith in Jesus Christ alone. The suffering caused by the two recent earthquakes certainly isn’t good. But if they cause us to repent of our sins, then God has used even such an awful thing as an earthquake for our good.
It was the manure in Joseph’s life that showed him God’s glory. He was tossed in a pit and sold as a slave to Pharaoh by his eleven brothers. He was wrongly accused of coming onto Pharaoh’s wife and thrown into jail. But from this fresh pile of manure came the great confession of faith that Joseph told his brothers, “Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” Praise God for manure!
Jesus was betrayed, abandoned, rejected, beaten, mocked, crucified and buried. And from this suffering came the most glorious event of all time: Jesus rose from the dead by the glory of His Father so that you too might walk in newness of life. Thank God for the manure he sends!
Is God in control of natural disasters? Yes. Does God cause suffering? Yes, very often he does. But, when you look at your life, I pray that you might realize that even in the most horrible events you have gone through sometimes bring you closest to God’s heart. In all things, even suffering, God works for the good of those who love Him. When you realize that you are too weak to live on your own and begin to trust in Jesus as your fortress. When you finally confess that your sins have turned your world into a mess and you surrender your life to God. Yes God creates earthquakes. But even in all of this suffering, he promises that he is working for good. When he sends the manure: repent. When he sends the manure: trust in Him alone. Perhaps by the power of the Holy Spirit, as God works through this suffering, you and I will finally start producing fruit for the kingdom of God! Amen.
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