Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Receive the Blessings of Our Triune God (A sermon based on 2 Corinthians 13:11-14)

"You deserve a break today!" the ad campaign of a popular fast food chain once suggested. But that's not true. We don't deserve a break. We don't deserve anything but punishment from God for the shameful way that we too often treat him and each other. But in his grace, he gives us rich blessings. Our Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, gives us his very best gifts even though they're undeserved. And we can't help but rejoice in those gifts and give our very best in thanks and praise to him. Read or listen (download or stream) to this sermon based on 2 Corinthians 13:11-14 and rejoice in the undeserved blessings we receive from our Triune God...

 Receive the Blessings of Our Triune God

A sermon based on 2 Corinthians 13:11-14

Sunday, June 19, 2011 – Trinity Sunday A

 

In a small town in Ohio there lived a man named Bob who was the butt of many jokes. He was a slow man, a bit developmentally disabled. Everyone teased him behind his back or to his face. One day as he passed by a young 12-year old girl sitting on the porch, he politely asked how she was. The girl, thinking it funny to tease Bob like everyone else, made up a story.

"Daddy lost his job. We're short of money. And I'm so scared." Seeing her friends arrive behind him and laugh in the background she poured it on thick. "I don't know if we'll have enough to eat," she said. "I'll pray for you," Bob said and continued on his way looking sad for her.

The girl and her friends had a good laugh at slow and gullible Bob. But that evening she heard a knock at the door. When she went to open it, there on the porch was a bag of groceries and Bob, who she knew to be a man of very meager living, unable to hold a job because of his disability, quickly walking away.

How ashamed she felt. Her father, though very much employed and well off, still wouldn't let her return the food since, he said, it would hurt Bob's feelings. So every night for several weeks that young girl ate the food that Bob had given sacrificially for her. She didn't deserve it, but he gave the best he had.

The same is true of God. The Corinthians didn't deserve any blessings from God.

Not long after Paul left Corinth, he heard the report of problems they were having. They challenged his authority as an apostle, they were fighting with each other, they were sleeping with prostitutes. There was even a report of incest—and they were boasting about it! Paul quickly wrote a letter—1 Corinthians—and sent Timothy to check up on the congregation. Timothy brought back a negative report which prompted what he called a "painful visit" from Paul. But right after that visit he received another negative report and sent a "sever letter" with Titus. That letter is lost today. Titus returned with a mixed report. Some repented, but most dismissed it. So Paul wrote a third time.

This time you might expect an extra painful visit and a super severe letter. And yet, pained as he was, Paul's loving letter ends with a warm tone. Though they certainly deserved no gifts from God, for the way they'd been treating him, they had blessings from him anyway—the very best he had. Paul promised that they had grace and love from God, and fellowship with him.

And though we deserve as little from God as the Corinthians, we too receive blessings of the Triune God. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit are ours. Listen now to the conclusion of Paul's last letter to the Corinthians, including that familiar Trinitarian blessing, recorded for us in 2 Corinthians 13:11-14…

 

 11 Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. 12 Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13 All the saints send their greetings. 14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

 

I.              The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (14a, 11a)

 

In a minute we're going to read the Athenasian Creed together. But the last lines have been a bit confusing to some: "Those who have done good will enter eternal life, but those who have done evil will go into eternal fire." Yikes! Do those words perhaps cause a bit of alarm? After all, we haven't always done good. We have done evil. Even as Christians the good that I would I don't do, but the evil I don't want to do I keep on doing. The truth is, I do deserve hell for my sins, for at times receiving the Word of God about as well as those Corinthians did. I deserve eternal fire. And so do you.

But we won't get it. Instead you and I will get the opposite of what we deserve: Eternal life. Why? Not because of what we've done or will do, but because of grace. What is grace? The catechism answer you've all learned is "undeserved love." Someone once made grace an acronym that stands for God's Riches AChrist's Expense. It's sort of like Bob and that little girl. She made fun of him and he gave her the very best he could offer in exchange. But the difference is that Jesus isn't slow. Jesus understands the way you treat him. Jesus knows your every sin. Jesus knows your selfish, sinful attitudes and behaviors, far better than even you do.

And in exchange he gives you his very best—way more than a bag of groceries. He gives you all of God's riches at his expense. He gave you his life. He purchased and won you, from sin, death and the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with his holy precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death. Why? Simply because he loves you even though you don't deserve it. That's grace.

Now, by that gift, you are sinless and holy. God looks at you and sees no trace of evil. He sees only good works. So the verdict for you when you stand before the judgment seat of God is "Not guilty! This one's perfect and will receive eternal life."

And the only natural response we can have to such a wonderful gift is laid out in verse 11. Now, normally, I think the NIV does a fine job of translating the Greek. But I have to take issue with verse 11. The editors of the NIV did a whole lot of interpretation on top of their translation for that verse. Literally, "Good-by" is "Rejoice." "Aim for perfection" is "be perfected." "Listen to my appeal" is "be encouraged," or "counseled," or "comforted." That last word comes from the same root used to describe the Holy Spirit; the Paraclete, literally the one who's "called to the side." "Be paracleted." "Be called to the side to hear a word of encouragement."

The natural response to having the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, is to rejoice in this awesome gift that Jesus gives! To be perfected by that grace, working in us to create new lives! To be encouraged that our sins are forgiven and to be comforted! And to be encouraged and counselled to keep trying to keep the law, not to enter heaven, but to thank him that heaven is yours by grace.

 

II.            The Love of God the Father (14b, 11c)

 

The next gift of our Triune God that Paul mentions in the closing verse of this letter is "the love of God." And again, a quick Greek lesson is in order to fully understand this verse. Did you know that there are four Greek words all translated simply as "love" in the NIV? The first is eros—the love of opposites. That's the butterflies in the stomach when opposites attract. The second is philos—the love of the same, the friendship you have with those you share a lot in common with. The third is storge. That's the love of a parent for a child. Now all three words are similar in the fact that this love is (to some extent or another) caused by the object of that love. The girlfriend or spouse, the friend or buddy, the child, all have qualities that endear one to them. In other words, they are lovable.

But the fourth word for love is agape. Think of this word as the "there's no reason for it" kind of love. Love for the rebellious teen that tries to physically harm mom or dad. They don't deserve love. They aren't very lovable, but are loved anyway. This is the love that God has for you.

He has loved you so much that when you were his enemy, he sent his Son to the cross in your place. Parents, think about it for a minute. If two kids are about to die in some horrible and excruciating way and you can save only one, which would you choose: your own child, or the one who's bullied and hurt your child and hates you with a passion? God chose the latter. And he sent his child to hell on a cross. Why? Because he loves you, as rebellious and unlovable as you are in your sin. Why does he love you? I don't know. That's agape love.

And as if that weren't enough, God now promises that he won't leave you alone in this life. Paul says, "The God of love and peace will be with you." There's no question about it. This is not some wish, but a stated fact. He will be with you. Immanuel, God With Us, will never leave you or forsake you. He will be with you always to the very end of the age. He created you and gave you all you have and promises to continue to preserve you by daily and richly providing you with things like clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, spouse and children, land (and maybe even) cattle, and all that you own and all that you need to keep your body and life.

The natural response to having the love of God the Father is to rejoice in this awesome gift that God gives! To be at peace every day, confident of God's help, assured of his abiding presence. And to express that confidence as Paul did, "31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32) And, finally, to thank God for this awesome gift by being peaceable and loving toward others—with an agape love—just as God has been toward you.

 

III.     The Fellowship of the Holy Spirit (14c, 12-13, 11b)

 

The last gift of our Triune God that Paul mentions in the closing verse of this letter is "the fellowship of the Holy Spirit." What a gift this was to the Corinthian congregation, so full of divisions and factions and problems! What a blessing for a church who couldn't get along and had little fellowship with one another. For their sinful pride and the petty arguments they deserved to be sent away from the Holy Spirit, not be brought into fellowship with him.

And friends, that's what we deserve too. We don't always get along with one another do we? We let our sinful pride and arrogance get the best of us in our own homes, let alone at work, or with strangers. We selfishly fight to get our way and seldom even try to get along or live in peace. And we deserve to be sent away from God.

But instead, the Holy Spirit has brought us into a special relationship with God. When we hated him and wanted to run away from God, when we could not by our own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus or come to him, the Holy Spirit called us by the gospel and enlightened us with his gifts. He's made us holy and keeps us in the one true faith, and thus, in fellowship with God. And not only with him, but with one another as well!

Paul encouraged the Corinthians in verse 13, that through this fellowship of the Holy Spirit, "All the saints send their greetings." What joy to know they were a part of something bigger than themselves, bigger than their local congregation, but a part of all the saints! And what a joy we have too since we too have fellowship with God and with each other!

And the natural response to having the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is to rejoice in this awesome gift that he gives! To "be of one mind," and to "live in peace" with one another. To "Greet one another with a holy kiss," not literally in our culture (please), but we do greet one another in a warm and friendly way. We do show concern and love toward each other, offering a phone call for someone who's been missing from worship, not waiting for an elder to do it. We enjoy fellowship with one another at potlucks and church events, in Bible class and worship, and especially around the altar as we kneel side by side and confess our common faith:

 That though we deserve nothing but punishment and banishment from God for the sinful and shameful way we've treated him and each other, we receive his forgiveness by grace through what Jesus has done for us. We receive God's love, in spite of our sin. We are brought into fellowship with God through the work of the Holy Spirit.

What undeserved blessings we receive from our Triune God! The next time you hear the invocation in the name of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, or the next time you hear that familiar Trinitarian blessing, don't just let it go in one ear and pass right out the other. But take a moment to ponder it, to let it sink in, and to rejoice! For "the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit [are] with you all." Amen.


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611

The ABC’s of Pentecost (A sermon based on Acts 2:1-21)

Happy Birthday! Pentecost marks the birthday of the New Testament church! Today we celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing people to faith and in making them witnesses of the Gospel. Just as he did for the disciples, the Holy Spirit gives us the ABC's of Pentecost: Abilities, which we use to serve the Kingdom, Boldness, to loving speak the truth regardless of the cost, and especially Clarity, the understanding that Jesus did not come to make this life perfect, but to win for us forgiveness for our self-serving use of our abilities, for our timidity in speaking his Word, and for all our sins, so we can enjoy the perfect life to come. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Acts 2:1-21 and rejoice in the ABC's of Pentecost that the Spirit of God has given to you...

The ABC's of Pentecost

A sermon based on Acts 2:1-21

Sunday, June 12, 2011 – Pentecost A

 

Perhaps for one of the hymns this morning we should have sung "Happy Birthday" because this morning we celebrate a very special birthday. Now if it's your birthday today, and I didn't know it, I'm sorry. But I don't mean we should sing to you. We can save that for after worship. But this morning, we celebrate the birthday of the church. Today we celebrate Pentecost.

Fifty days after the Passover, the Jews celebrated one of their three major feasts, the Feast of Pentecost (also known as the Feast of Firstfruits, or the Feast of Weeks). Jews from all over the world traveled to Jerusalem annually to celebrate this festival in the only place God had authorized to celebrate. But on this particular Pentecost celebration, something different happened. The Holy Spirit, that Counselor that Jesus promised, came to the apostles in a spectacular way. And it changed everything. It changed the disciples and it began the spread of the gospel with 3000 coming to faith that day! For that reason we mark Pentecost as the birthday of the church.

This morning as we celebrate the church's birthday, let's take a look at the ABC's of Pentecost: When the Holy Spirit came on the apostles he gave them three things… A) Ability, even the special ability to speak in different languages, B) Boldness, the courage they'd need to carry out their task, and C) Clarity. For the first time they really understood God's plan of salvation and how it all fit together. Ability, Boldness, Clarity are the ABC's of Pentecost. They're what the Holy Spirit gave the apostles that day and they're what he gives us still today. Listen to Acts 2:1-21…

 

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine." 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

 


I.              Ability (v.1-12)

 

A is for Ability. How did the Holy Spirit give the apostles ability? In a very extraordinary way. As the Holy Spirit rested on the apostles three very unusual phenomena occurred. First, there was a sound like a violent wind tearing through the house, loud enough to get everyone's attention right away. Second, they saw something like flames of fire resting on each of the apostles' heads. But it wasn't exactly fire. None of them were burned. None of their hair was even singed. And if these first two signs didn't get everyone's attention, the third certainly did. All of a sudden, each of the apostles, most of which were uneducated laborers, without ever having gone to school and without ever having to study, could all speak in foreign languages. Everyone who was present heard the wonders of God in his own native tongue.

These three signs—the sound like a wind, the flames like fire and the foreign languages—served a very special purpose. They were attention getters. Advertisements, if you will, that something big was going on. These signs were given to the early Christian church as they launched their mission. And they served to spread the gospel like wildfire. The apostles were given special abilities by the Holy Spirit so the gospel could quickly reach every nation, tribe and language. And what abilities they had!

But what about us today? Does the Holy Spirit come to us? Of course he does. Though not in the exact same way as he did that Pentecost Day, the Holy Spirit does still come to us as well. He comes to us, not with the sound of a violent wind, but with the quiet whisper of his Word. He comes to us, not in flames of fire, but in the waters of Baptism bringing us to faith in the message of the Gospel. He points us to Jesus.

So why don't we get special abilities to carry out our task? Well, to be honest, we do. While my preaching may not be accompanied by the sound of a violent wind (unless I blow into the microphone), while I may have to study hard to learn Greek and very hard to learn Hebrew, God has given me gifts. While 3000 people may not come running to Grace this morning to hear what I have to say, God has given me abilities. And he's done the same for you.

He's given all of you gifts and abilities. What are they? Paul described a few to the Romans, "6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully." (Romans 12:6-8) God has given to each one of us, talents, skills and abilities. He's given us gifts and treasures. He's given us everything that we have that we might use it all to share the message of the gospel with others. And he's given us more than those abilities…

 

II.            Boldness (v.13-16)

 

B is for Boldness. The Holy Spirit not only gives us the abilities to share the gospel, but he changes our attitudes to give us the courageous to share the gospel just like he did for the apostles…

A few weeks before the Festival of Pentecost, on the days and weeks following Easter, where did we find the disciples? Do you remember? They were hiding "behind locked doors" it says. They were terrified that those who brought about the trial and crucifixion of Jesus would now pursue his followers and put them to death as well. Scared and feeling all alone, those eleven men were anything but bold. But now, with the Holy Spirit resting on them, look at how they changed…

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine." 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel…

The apostles weren't scared anymore, were they? Now they were out in the open, preaching publicly, preaching boldly. They didn't care if they were thrown into prison. They didn't care if they were physically abused. They weren't intimidated by threats and wouldn't stop preaching even when they were faced with martyrdom. The worst their enemies could do was to kill them. They couldn't touch their salvation.

Peter and the Eleven, who were so recently hiding out, now openly and boldly answered those who mocked them. With courage Peter stood up and answered those who asked of the special Pentecost signs, "What does this mean?" He told them that this was prophesied. Go home this afternoon and read the rest of Acts 2. See how Peter boldly preached the law condemning the crowd for their sins that sent Jesus to the cross. Read how he boldly shared the Gospel; giving them the comfort of God's forgiveness.

What gave Peter such courage? The Holy Spirit; the Counselor that Jesus promised would come to give them power and truth. That same Holy Spirit that's poured out on us through the Word and the waters of Baptism...

Paul wrote to Timothy, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power…" (2 Timothy 1:7) That, dear Christian friends, is the same Spirit that belongs to each one of you. Are you normally shy? When it comes to the Gospel, there's no need to be timid. You have the most valuable information that anyone could ever have. You have the truth of God's grace to you in Christ.

Imagine that you were to put your name in a raffle to win an all expense paid trip to Hawaii and you found out that not only did you win, but your boss heard about it and, wanting to thank you for being such a faithful employee offered two extra weeks of paid vacation so you could go. Would you tell your spouse or your friends, "Oh, hey, by the way, I just found out I won a free trip and some extra vacation time." If a Clarion reporter called you up for an interview would you refuse because, "No, I'm much to shy to talk about what I won"? Of course not! You would be excited to tell everyone you could your exciting news (whether you knew them or not)!

How much more exciting is the news you really do have! You have an all-expense paid trip to paradise. And I don't mean Hawaii. You deserve to die, but that's not what you're getting. You get life! You deserve hell, but instead you get heaven. You were given a gift worth far more than two weeks of paid vacation. You were given eternal life in the paradise of heaven with Jesus forever! There's no reason to be timid or shy. You have the most valuable information that anyone could have and the Holy Spirit gives you the boldness, the courage, to share it. Who cares what the enemies of the Gospel do to you? The worst they can do is to take your life. They can never touch your salvation.

Be bold witnesses and the Holy Spirit himself will give you the words to say. He already gives you the Bible and he makes it clear to you…

 

III.           Clarity (v.16-21)

 

C is for Clarity. At the Ascension of Jesus, the apostles still didn't really get what Jesus was all about. They asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" (cf. Acts 1:6) "Now are you going to kick the Romans out of our land? Now will you bring in that time of peace you promised? Now do we get to become rulers and kings?" Their picture of God's plan of salvation was fuzzy at best, but not after Pentecost. Now it was clear.

Peter said, 16 …This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

Now Peter got it. Now he understood. Everything happened to Jesus just like the Old Testament prophecies said they would. Everything was happening to them now just as the prophets foretold. Though only ten days earlier, he didn't really get it, now he told the crowd, "Joel told you this would happen. What did you expect?!" Now Peter understood that Jesus wasn't talking about a physical, political peace. He was talking about peace between God and man. Now Peter understood that Jesus' kingdom is not of this world. Now he understood the gospel: God is coming again soon in judgment on this sinful world, but "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." The Holy Spirit gave Peter that clarity. And he gives the same to us…

On our own we could never understand the Bible. It might look like a book of rules on what to and not to do. It might look like a self-improvement book on how to live a better life. Or it might look like a nice collection of stories that makes for a good read and that's about it. But with the Holy Spirit, it all makes sense. We understand that the Bible is Christocentric, that is, it's all about Jesus. From Genesis to Revelation the Bible reveals that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who came to live a perfect life on earth and to die on the cross taking the punishment we deserve saving us from hell. The Holy Spirit gives us that clarity.

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, "Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:3) We may not have tongues of fire on our heads, but we do understand the Scriptures and God's plan of salvation through the Holy Spirit.

And the Holy Spirit has given that clarity to all of us. Not just Pastors, not just the men, but everyone can have the clarity that the Holy Spirit brings about, regardless of sex, age, or status, just like Joel prophesied… "sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit…"

By the Holy Spirit, we all understand what we deserve. We know that we ought to suffer an eternity of hell for using our God-given abilities to pursue selfish gain and for being too timid to stand up for Jesus. And by the Holy Spirit, we understand what we get. By God's grace we don't get hell, but eternal life through Jesus. It's not about what I do or don't do. It's all about what he did. Now we get it.

Now let's share it. Peter made it clear that the Last Days of Joel's prophecy began with that Pentecost celebration. We are living in the Last Days right now. All that is left in God's plan of salvation is the closing act of Judgment Day; that great and glorious day of the Lord when "The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood…" and he comes to take us home.

 Now, dear friends, is the time for us to act. Now is the time for us to prophecy, that is, to speak on God's behalf. Now is the time to use the ABC's of Pentecost that the Holy Spirit gives. Use your gifts and abilities to spread the good news. Witness boldly as you preach the message that has been made clear to you. Tell others of God's law and the impossible demands he makes. And tell them of God's grace… that "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." In Jesus' name, dear friends, amen.


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Plug In to the Power of Our Ascended Savior (A sermon based on Ephesians 1:16-23)

Can you imagine a life without power? Without batteries, electricity, natural gas, or gasoline? How would we get around? How would we communicate long-distance? We need power. And we need power spiritually. Thank God we have the ultimate power in our ascended Savior who rules all things with his incomparably great power for us who believe. 
Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Ephesians 1:16-23 and stay plugged-in to the ultimate power!

Plug In to the Power of Our Ascended Savior

A sermon based on Ephesians 1:16-23

Sunday, June 5, 2011 – Ascension A

 

DVDs, PDAs, and MP3s fill our homes. Microwaves and refrigerators, heater systems and entertainment systems all seem to be necessities at home. Computers, printers, fax machines, cell phones are necessary tools at work. And all these need a power source. Can you imagine living without batteries? Without electricity or natural gas?

Gas prices are on the rise and though we complain about the cost, yet we still drive our cars and SUVs wherever we want to go—the roads were still busy on Memorial Day weekend and the RV's were still out and the campers were still in tow.  But can you imagine what it would be like without any fuel to power our vehicles? How would we get from point A to point B? (It's a long walk to Anchorage.)

In our way of life, we need fuel. We need power. Otherwise we can't really do that much. And the same is true of us spiritually. We need power. And we can't find it on our own. We can't fuel our own way to heaven. We can't even fuel our own way through the problems of this life.

But the good news is we don't have to. We have a power source that never runs out, never needs recharging, and the cost will never rise!  In fact, our spiritual power source will always be free of charge. Our power source is Jesus—our Ascended Savior. This morning, as we plug in to him through the Word, we come to better know that power, and we become better equipped to use that power. Listen again to Ephesians 1:16-23…

 

16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.           

I.              Know the Power 

The congregation at Ephesus was a unique one. Unlike his letters to the Corinthians, or the Galatians, or the Romans, Paul doesn't take the Ephesians to task for any sins or correct any doctrinal errors. It seems that the three years Paul spent in Ephesus, instructing them in the Word had paid off. There were no internal fights, no misunderstandings. The church at Ephesus was a healthy congregation. No wonder Paul couldn't stop giving thanks for the Ephesians in his prayers.

But those healthy Ephesian smiles probably masked some real fears. Sure things were going well now, but who knew about tomorrow? When Paul left Ephesus he told the elders, "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20:29-30) And only a few years later, the apostle John would take the Ephesians to task for their waning faith—for forsaking their first love. (Revelation 2:4)

There were plenty of things to worry about in Ephesus: the Roman threat as the Christians challenged the pantheistic beliefs of that society, the Jewish threat as they proclaimed that the law was fulfilled in Christ, the confusion of doctrine, the immorality that surrounded them, their own sinful natures… the list goes on and on.

But in spite of all the potential problems, Paul tells them not to worry. They didn't need to worry because they had the power that they needed to overcome. And that power didn't come from themselves, but from their source—Christ. The future safety of the church didn't depend on them or their power, but on Christ and the power he had.

That power was one they had already come to know. It was this power that brought them from spiritual death in their sins to life in Jesus. They felt that power when it smashed their stony hearts and brought them to repent of their sins. They felt that power when they learned of the peace they had with God through Christ's death on the cross in their place. They knew that power that was demonstrated in Jesus' ascension when God, "raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come." And that power was theirs. Through the Word of God they were plugged in. And dear friends so are we…

 

Do you sometimes worry about the future? Do you worry about the future of Grace? Will our church grow? Or will it shrink? What sort of challenges will we face? Financial? Doctrinal? Do you worry about things in your personal life? Will I keep my job? Will the market crash and I go broke? Will I have enough saved to retire comfortably? Will I be able to retire at all? Will my family reconcile? Will we get back together? Will my health fail? Will I live past 70?

Dear friends, the outcome of tomorrow does not depend on you. But how tempting it is for us to think that, isn't it? If we give a little more, our church will thrive. If we do the right programs at Grace then we'll grow. If we invest a little here and a little there, then we'll be secure. If we exercise a little more, we'll be survive another five years. No, dear friends! Our security is not found in ourselves or anything we do, but in the continuous power supply that we have in Jesus. And what power it is!

"[God] seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."

How much control of the situation does Jesus have? How much control of the future? At his ascension Jesus went to sit at the right hand of God. He's God's right hand man with that position of total authority. All things are under his feet. He's head over everything. All glory, honor, power, and authority belong to him. And how does he use that power? "For the church."

He uses "his incomparably great power for us who believe." Christ has made us, the church, his body. So whatever belongs to him belongs to us. And our head will never leave us. Can a head survive without a body? Can a body survive without a head? No! They're inseparable—just like Christ and his church. Neither is complete without the other. And being so intimately connected to him, all that is his is ours. That power over all things is yours—and it's a power supply that you get for free, that will never ever run out!

Do we need to worry about the future then? No way! When he says, "Do not be afraid, little flock," we don't need to be afraid at all! Be Chicken Little and fear that the sky is falling sooner than think that Christ lacks the power to work all things for your good, to turn even pain into a blessing for you, to cleanse you of every sin through the waters of baptism, to grant you forgiveness of sins through the eating and drinking of his body and blood, to work through his Word in Law and Gospel to strengthen your faith and make you more than a conqueror through his power!

You have the power to overcome the challenges that face you. You have Jesus. Now use the power you have and stay plugged in… 

II.            Use the Power 

Now some might challenge, if the Ephesians could have that kind of confidence, why pray? If we don't need to worry about overcoming the challenges of life because of God's power, why bother asking God for anything?

Well, it's certainly not because God would ever change that Paul prayed for the Ephesians, but because they might. The Ephesians were saints forgiven by God through Jesus' death on the cross in their place. But they were saints with a sinful nature. They would face temptations from within and from without, they would be persecuted and attacked, and tempted to become unplugged from Jesus their only source of power.

So Paul prayed for them. He prayed that they might know Jesus better. That's how they would stay plugged in to the power—through Jesus. He said, " I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. " As they had the Spirit of revelation—that is the Holy Spirit working through the Word that God had revealed to them—they would remain plugged in to Jesus and God would unleash his power in them.

Through that Word, plugged in to Jesus, they would grow in their faith to face the challenges that they encountered. They would have the strength they needed in time of temptation. They would have the courage to endure persecution and pain. They would have the courage needed to boldly share their faith throughout the world and build up the church.

And dear friends it's no different for us. We have the same power source, so we have the same power. But you know, it doesn't really matter how much power there is coming out of the outlet in the wall if the stereo's not plugged in to it. It won't work. The same is true of us. Stay plugged in to Jesus through the Word that "the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better."

You already know that power—the power of his Law that smashed your stony heart brought you repentance. You know the power of his Gospel that brought you the comforting peace of knowing your every sin is forgiven in Jesus. You know the power that gives you his eternal inheritance as God's own child! Now, dear friends, learn to know him better.

Try to face the problems of this life on your own and you unplug yourself from Jesus the only real source of power. Realize your sin—your failure to stay connected to him, your apathy toward the power source of his Word, the times you've intentionally become unplugged to serve yourself—confess those sins to empty yourself of yourself. And then through God's revelation in his Word, know his forgiveness in Jesus even better. Know even more the peace you have with God through Jesus death in our place and be filled up with his power.

And then, you'll be equipped to use that power in your life. God will unleash his power in you. You will have power to face your troubles and hardships with joy. You will have the power to face your problems, viewing them as opportunities to serve Jesus more than as problems. You will have the power to give generously to support the gospel work that's taking place. You will have the power to share the gospel yourself in whatever way God allows you to be a part of his work. You will have the power to do all things through him who gives us strength. (Philippians 4:13)

Dear friends, it's not all about us and what we can do. It's all about him, what he's already done for us, and what he promises to do through us who believe. Before he went to glory, a wise pastor shared with me a piece of advice that really stuck. He told me, "If your plans are not so great that they cannot succeed without God blessing it, your plans are too small. You're only relying on what you can do." That man realized what power we have in our ascended Lord. Dear friends, plug in. Get that power that costs you nothing and that will never run out. Get charged up and see what great things he'll do through you. In the name of Jesus, our ascended Savior, and by his power, amen!


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611

Friday, June 3, 2011

Easter Makes It Easy to Apologize (A sermon based on 1 Peter 3:15-22)

Do you find it easy to apologize? Is it fun to say "I'm sorry"? Do you find it easy to be persecuted for sharing your faith? In our last sermon in the "Easter Means No Fear" series, we see how Easter makes it easy to apologize. It makes it easy to confess your sins to God confident that he will give full and free forgiveness, since Easter assures us that Jesus payment on the cross is enough. And Easter makes it easy to confess your faith, even if you face persecution and pain for doing so, because Easter assures us that our Savior lives to take care of us as we live to serve him. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on 1 Peter 3:15-22 and take heart! It's easy to apologize because of Easter!

Easter Means No Fear… of Guilt

Easter Makes It Easy to Apologize

A sermon based on 1 Peter 3:15-22

Sunday, May 29, 2011 – Easter 6A

 

Do you like to apologize? Do you find it fun to say I'm sorry? I'm guessing most of you would say, "no." But why isn't it fun to apologize? Isn't it because you make yourself vulnerable? You fear that if you admit your guilt, it could be held against you.

Do you like to share your faith with others? How about when you're picked on for it? What if you were tortured or killed for believing in Jesus? Would you find it easy then?

This morning, God, through the apostle Peter, encourages us by telling us that it's easy to apologize to God. It's easy to say, "I'm sorry," to him because we know how he will respond. We have the certain hope that in love and mercy that we don't deserve, he will forgive us. We are assured of this by our baptisms. And this, in turn, makes it easy for us to share our faith with others, even if it brings us persecution or pain.

Listen again to the encouragement God gives us through Peter in 1 Peter 3:15-22…

 

15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. 17 It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, 19 through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison 20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.



 I.              It's Easy to Confess Your Sins 

Do you find it easy to apologize? You can find it easy to apologize to God and confess your sins to him without fear. How? Because you have no fear of guilt. You know the wonderful truth that Peter again reminds us all of: For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He paid for all the debt that you and I owed to God.

What's more, he rose again: He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit… Easter is the proof that what he paid is enough. It's our receipt.

And then, the God of all grace, gave us the faith to receive these blessings through his gift of Baptism: baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. [Baptism] saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Baptism is not just symbolic or just some neat ritual. It's not just an act of obedience to God. But it's God's act of mercy toward us. It creates and strengthens faith that clings to Christ and his sacrifice alone for the certain hope of our salvation. It's the means by which God gives his grace to us.

When Martin Luther faced despair, danger, or temptation he would look to his baptismal certificate hanging on the wall and declare, "I… am… baptized." This is where he found his certain hope. And this is where you can too… 

Look at the picture Peter paints: It's a picture you find in the baby's room in countless Christian homes: Noah's Ark. It was the vessel that saved the believers from the destruction that hit everyone else. The flood brought death to so many, but saved the few who believed from corruption and death.

God uses Baptism as the vessel that saves us from the destruction of hell. In Baptism, God drowns the sinful nature like those disobedient unbelievers in the days of Noah, but saves us, lifting us out of the flood of God's wrath.

Now, believers on the ark weren't saved because they could swim. But because of God's gracious promise, they were saved. But… if they jumped off the ark, they'd surely drown (and would have no one to blame but themselves). In the same way, in Baptism we're saved by God's grace given to us. But if we reject his promise, we alone are responsible for our destruction.

So friends, as you come to God in confession, admitting your sins and asking for his forgiveness, plead your Baptism. If you don't, you're like a soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan tossing your machine gun aside to lob water balloons.

But use your greatest weapon as you battle satan, temptation, your feelings of guilt, and your sinful flesh! Use your Baptism! Say, "I am baptized." And maybe even hang your baptismal certificate on the wall, to remind you of it! 

Look at the ceiling for a minute. What does it look like? Sort of like the inside of a ship turned upside down? Maybe like a big ark? That's no coincidence! Where you sit, is called the nave in church architecture. (As opposed to the narthex, in the back of the church, the sacristy, where the elements of the Lord's Supper are kept, or the vestry, where the pastors vestments, or robes are kept.) The word nave is where we get our word Navy from. It means ship. And it's meant to remind us that we're all safe in the ark of God's grace.

By your baptism, God has created faith in your heart: A faith that knows the story of his death and resurrection, a faith that knows that it's all true, a faith that stakes your life for eternity on these truths: That Christ has died to pay for your sins, that Christ did rise again to prove to you that your guilt is gone, that Christ, through Baptism, saves you and makes you his own.

So, confess your sins to God. Apologize to him for your all of your sins. Apologize with all sincerity of heart and in truth. And rejoice that through Baptism, your sins are forgiven.

Then, once you've confessed your sins, and have been assured of God's forgiveness, confess your faith, and share the blessings with others…


 II.            It's Easy to Confess Your Faith 

Now the NIV and KJV of verse 15 say, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have…" But in the Greek, it literally says, "always be prepared to give an apology…" But the Greek word doesn't mean you say you're sorry for the hope that you have. The Greek word, apologia, means, "a word towards," or a defense.

Be prepared, Peter says, to share the reason why you have hope. Be prepared to defend those reasons. And you know what? You already are prepared. You know what God has done for you in Christ. And so it's easy to "apologize" for Christ. It's easy to confess your faith and defend your faith even if does bring embarrassment, pain, or persecution!

Imagine for a minute that you're out fishing in the Cook Inlet this summer, when, all of a sudden, a huge storm whips the seas into a frenzy. The huge swells and crashing waves begin to sink the boats around you and the passengers abandon ship. But your boat is unsinkable. And you have plenty of room. Wouldn't you be heartless to leave those swimmers to their deaths if you just took off?

In the same way, countless souls are dying every day. And they're headed to hell. But we're in the ark! We know we can't be sunk by sin, death, or hell! And there's plenty of room in the ship! Let's tell others what God has done for us in Christ. Let's rescue them from drowning in a sea of guilt and going to hell!

And don't just tell people what God has done for you. Tell them what God has done for you in Christ. Let me explain…

God may have helped you quit smoking or drinking, become a better parent or spouse, or make the team or the grade. But what happens when you slip up? When you drink or smoke again, when you're not a perfect parent or spouse, when you don't make the cut or pass? If all you talked about God doing for you was offering help in this life, wouldn't those "slip ups" imply to your friend that God wasn't there for you?

Instead, tell others what God has done for you… in Christ. In gentleness and respect, tell them how he has saved you from your sin, by his sacrifice, through the waters of Baptism, he has promised that you have a good conscience before God. All your sins are forgiven! Your resurrection is guaranteed! Heaven itself is yours! Even when you slip up, when you drink or smoke again, when you're not a perfect parent or spouse, when you don't make the cut or pass.

Tell them that it's because of his sacrifice for you that you strive with all of your might to live for him—a life without sin, a life to his glory, a life that keeps a clear conscience by by avoiding willful sin.

And as you "apologize" for Christ and defend him by telling others what he's done for you, they too will find it easier to apologize to him: to admit their faults and confessing their sins. And then, being assured of God's forgiveness given to them in the cross, they too will apologize for him, defending their Savior and sharing the good news with others.

Dear friends, may Jesus always make it easy to apologize as he assures you that your sins are forgiven and removes all your guilt, as he assured you that he will take care of you, even in persecution or pain, as you boldly speak of him and share and defend his name. For Easter means no fear of guilt! For Easter makes it easy to apologize. He is risen! He is risen indeed! Amen.


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611