Monday, September 30, 2013

Godliness and Contentment A sermon based on 1 Timothy 6:6-16

It's PFD time! What are you going to buy with the extra $900 per person that your household will receive in your Permanent Fund Dividend? Interested in what Jesus has to say? He doesn't tell you how to spend it, but he does help you to guard your heart against greed and the love of money. In this week's sermon text we're encouraged to find contentment in the comforting truth that God has made us godly in his sight through the gift of his Son, Jesus. Now we long to thank God with all of the resources he's entrusted to us and use them to his glory. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on 1 Timothy 6:6-16 and find godliness and contentment together...

Godliness and Contentment
A sermon based on 1 Timothy 6:6-16
Sunday, September 29, 2013 -- Pentecost 19C 

Something's just go together. Peanut Butter and...? Jelly. Peas and...? Carrots. Hansel and...? Gretel. Bacon and...? Everything! :) Godliness and..? Contentment. Some things just go together.

Godliness and contentment go together. In fact, you really can't have one without the other. Contentment can only last so long without Jesus. The fear of death will eventually nag. And when you have godliness, you are content. You don't need worldly wealth. You have the one you have the other. They just go together.

But sadly, we're not often very content with the blessings God's given to us. We always seem to want more--bigger, better, newer, faster. And that malcontent is really a complaint against God that he hasn't given us enough. We sin against him by and we aren't very godly.

But we rejoice that God sent Jesus to pay for our sinful whining and, in doing so, making us godly. And that godliness he's given us makes us content even if we have nothing else. We know what Jesus has done for us to rescue us from this place.

Listen now to Paul's encouragement to Timothy and to us, recorded for us in 1 Timothy 6:6-16... 

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.


I.              God Gives Us Godliness all 

A wealthy businessman found a fisherman sitting lazily next to his boat. "Why aren't you fishing?!" he demanded. "I've caught enough fish for today," he replied. "Why don't you go catch more?" he asked. "What would I do with more fish?" the fisherman replied. "Well, you could sell them, earn more money, and eventually buy a bigger boat, hire a crew and make even more money still. If you'd work a little harder, you could become rich!" "Then what would I do?" the fisherman asked. "Then you could relax and enjoy life," the business replied, as if it were a stupid question. But the fisherman answered, "What do think I'm doing right now?"  

The truth is, not many of us have the same contentment that that fisherman had. We wish we had more money, more stuff, nicer stuff? And even if we're happy with our current job and salary, we still find some things missing in our life. Maybe it's a relationship. Maybe it's purpose. Maybe it's something you can't quite put your finger on. But because of our sinful nature, we all have trouble being content.

But the problem is, getting whatever it is we want, won't bring the fulfillment we think it might. Someone once asked J.D. Rockefeller, the richest man in America at the time, when he would have enough. He replied, "Never. I'm always in pursuit of the next dollar." But Alexander the Great, the richest man in the world at the time, ordered that at his death his hands should be exposed to public view to show that he couldn't take a single penny of his great wealth with him. "For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." Ultimately, the pursuit of money and nice things, is kind of like drinking saltwater. It only makes you thirstier for more until, ironically, you die of dehydration from drinking too much in.

But even worse than not providing the satisfaction it promises, the love of money and the things it can buy, the malcontent with the blessings God's given to us, the jealously of others when we look at what they have and we don't are all rebellion against the gracious God who gave us so much. And it results in spiritual dehydration and ultimately spiritual death.

Raise your hand if you have clothes on your back right now. Keep them up if you have any food in your refrigerator. Keep them up if you have a roof over your head and a place to sleep tonight. If you have your hand up, you are better off than 75% of the world's population. Now raise your hand if you have any money in the bank or in your wallet (any at all). Keep your hand up if you have spare change laying around somewhere (in your car? In a dish at home? In a couch cushion?). If you still have your hand up, you're in the top 15% of the world's wealthy.

Now, how have you used that wealth? If you gave me a hundred dollars to purchase supplies for our Oktoberfest festivities, and you watched me take your money to the bar and spent it all there, would you entrust me with more cash tomorrow? Well, God has entrusted us with the wealth he's given us to use it to his glory, to serve others. But don't we often use it selfishly, not caring all that much about others… not caring all that much about the God who gave it? Why should he entrust us with more?

Us, content? Rarely. Us faithful? Barely. Us godly? Hardly.

The thirsty pigeon spotted a big bowl of water on the side of a billboard. Not realizing it was only a picture, he flew toward that water as fast as he could. And you can guess what happened. He slammed into the billboard, broke his neck, and that was the end of the pigeon. He was deceived and killed. Well, satan and the world like to deceive us. They promise to satisfy our every craving. But in the end it leads to death.

"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

We should be content, but we're not. Thank goodness, then, that someone else was not content in the most wonderful way. Jesus was not content to watch us throw it all away chasing after the cheap trinkets of this life. He wasn't content with us trying to find our value in how much more we can get. He wasn't content to sit by watching as we worshipped the green paper god. He wasn't content to lose us. And in love, he had to act.

So, to save us who crave everything, he gave up everything. Born in a barn, not in a hospital, he lived in a simple house, not one with 800 square feet per person. During his ministry he slept on the ground, not a sleep number. He ate only what others gave him and it would seem that he never tasted bacon. He didn't even have indoor plumbing. And through it all he was perfectly content all the time. In every way Jesus humbled himself to rescue you and me.

And you know how he humbled himself the most. "He humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!" (Philippians 2:8) And you know why he did it. "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9) Now you and I have forgiveness. You and I have Jesus. You and I are godly, not with a godliness of our own, but with the godliness of Jesus, given to us by God. You and I have heaven. You and I are truly wealthy. And it is these spiritual blessings that make us content…


II.            God Gives Us Contentment 

The apostle Paul once wrote, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Philippians 4:11-12)

So what is the secret of being content? Well, in the words of country music singer, George Straight, we know that "You don't bring nothing with you here and you can't take nothing back. I ain't never seen a hearse with a luggage rack" (from You'll Be There). But even more than that, we know what God has done to make us godly. And just as you have heat wherever you have fire, so too, you have contentment wherever you have a Christian. Made godly by Jesus, we are made content by him too. And we love God for making us godly. We love him because he first loved us. We love him more than the money he's given. And we long to use the money he's given us to his glory.

So what does that look like? Well, once we find contentment in Jesus and in what he's given us and promised us, we stop buying things we don't need, that promise happiness but never really deliver. We stop spending money that we don't have and ditch the debt. Then we save our resources that we might give generously and use the dollars entrusted to us to serve God, to share the Gospel, to bring him glory.

By the way, this text is in the lectionary for this Sunday. I didn't choose it because you'll be getting your PFD's this week. It was already chosen for this 19th Sunday of Pentecost long before Alaska was ever a state or any oil was drilled. Is it a coincidence that we happen to have this text this Sunday? Or is it God's perfect timing? I'll leave it to you to decide.

Will finding contentment in what we have and using our resources to God's glory be easy? No. Satan, the world around us, and our own sinful natures will pester and harass us to the end. That's why Dave Ramsey would urge us to get "gazelle intense," that is, to run from temptation, to run from debt, to run from bad decisions, like a gazelle getting chased by a lion runs. Now that's intense!

That's pretty much what Paul tells Timothy here: "flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…"

It won't be easy to keep our focus on the cross when the Sunday paper shows the ads of all the things we could have. It won't be easy to keep our focus on the empty tomb when the PFD checks come in, tempting us to buy new toys. It won't be easy to keep our focus on heaven when the money is spent and gone. But we're not in this alone.

When Paul urged Timothy, "to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ," he added an encouragement. The NIV translates it, " which God will bring about in his own time." And while that translation seems to suggest that God would bring about "the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ in his own time," it could be referring to Paul's encouragement "to keep this command," that is, to "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…" Thus, the Holman Christian Standard Bible makes it a new sentence: "God will bring this about in His own time." In other words, "God will keep you faithful as you fight the good fight of faith until you take hold of the eternal life to which you were called."  "God will bring this about in His own time."

"How much did he leave behind?" a man asked the friend to a wealthy businessman who had just died. "Hmm..." He thought and wisely replied, "All of it." Soon enough this life will be over. And money and the stuff it can buy won't matter when we take hold of the eternal life to which we were called. In the meantime, let's use our money wisely, faithfully, generously, serving Jesus, serving others. And as we rejoice that God has made us godly through Jesus, he will make us content and eager to do so. In the name of "our Lord Jesus Christ… the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,  who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light… To him be honor and might forever. Amen."


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast
Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast6:

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

A Great Go-Between (A sermon based on 1 Timothy 2:1-7)

Does God really want everyone saved? Then why doesn't he do something about it? He did! He sent Jesus as the perfect mediator to pay for all people's sins! And he still does! He sends us out as mediators and ambassadors to pray for others and to do all we can to share the message of God's grace with them. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on 1 Timothy 2:1-7 and be encouraged to be a great go-between for others in thanks to Jesus who's been such a great go-between for you! 

A Great Go-Between
A sermon based on 1 Timothy 2:1-7
Sunday, September 22, 2013 – Pentecost 18C 

"How can a loving God damn someone to hell?" Some wonder, "Is God really all that loving? Does God want some to be saved and others to be damned?" Of course, we know the answer. God tell us in his word, in our text for this morning, that he wants all people to be saved. What's more, we know that he wants us to be instrumental in their salvation, sharing the message of God's grace with others that they may come to know it and be saved.

So Paul encouraged his vicar, Timothy, and through his letter to him, he encourages us to do whatever we can in order to make it happen. He encourages us first to pray for it—pray for all people, pray that godly leaders would provide a climate conducive to the spread of the Gospel. They need a go-between to pray for them. But we don't always have that same sense of urgency that Paul had, that God has. And in our sinful selfishness, we need a go-between. We need a mediator to intercede for us. And we have a great go-between in Christ, who gave himself as a ransom for us. Now we eagerly act as go-betweens for others, praying for them and sharing God's grace with them. Listen to Paul's encouragement recorded for us in 1 Timothy 2:1-7… 

            I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles.

 

I.      Jesus Mediates for Us 

Listen to the words Paul uses to describe prayer. First he says "requests," that is telling God our needs. Then simply "prayers," that is, worship and praise. "Intercession" involves requests on the behalf of others. And of course, "thanksgiving" is showing appreciation for what he has already done. But who should these prayers be made for? For only ourselves, our friends and our families? No. Paul says they ought to be made for "everyone."

So how is your prayer life? Is it sometimes selfish? Do you sometimes get into the bad habit of praying only for yourselves? Paul here urges us to get rid of that habit. "Pray for everyone," he says. Pray for your friends and family, for your enemies, for complete strangers, for the lost. Pray especially, Paul says, for those in authority: for kings, or, for us, presidents, senators, congressmen, governors and mayors, troopers and police officers, pastors, parents, and teachers.

But why focus on this group in particular? Paul says, "that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." When our leaders and those in authority rule wisely, we can live peaceful and quiet lives. But Paul doesn't seek such a peace that we have a better economy and more toys, or so we can hole up in our homes enjoying our comfort, but that we have better opportunities to share the Gospel: "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."  

Without that peace it is so hard. A few years ago two Canadians in Baghdad were killed because of their Christian faith. Seven Christians in Nigeria were kidnapped by Muslim fanatics and later murdered. A Pakistani court sentenced a mentally handicapped Christian to a life in prison, ruling that the 26-year-old man was guilty of blasphemy against the Quran. In Pakistan, a Protestant pastor was kidnapped, drugged, severely beaten and dumped along the road 600 miles away. A bomb destroyed a Christian church in Bangladesh and churches in Indonesia were forced to close their doors because they were meeting illegally. And that was all within the span of one week. Over the last decade, thousands of church leaders have been arrested in China. More than 400 churches have been destroyed in Vietnam. In North Korea Christians are starved to death in prison camps.

And in the US, Satan doesn't even need persecution. He just keeps us happily entertained while we carelessly let our neighbors, coworkers, and friends slowly die and drift into hell. Let's face it. It's not just our prayers that are selfish; it's us. And because of our selfishness, feasting on the Gospel while being content to let others starve, we deserve the very same hell. And we can't deny it. And we can't change it. We need help. We need a mediator to go between us and God's wrath.

Thank God we have one! "God our Savior… wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men."

This week I did a quick White Pages search online and found that there are 2 other Rob Guenthers in Alaska alone. One Rob Guenther, lives with Virginia Guenther and Randall Guenther up in Anchorage. I have his phone number and address. In North Carolina there are eight Rob Guenthers. There's a Rob Guenther in Calvary, Alberta, in Killdeer, ND, in Janesville,WI, in Alden, MN, in Eden, NY, in San Antonio, TX, in Granite City, IL, and about 10 pages full of Rob Guenthers in the United States. And of course, one of those is Rob Guenther in Kenai, AK.

My point? Well, if God had written in 1 Timothy 2 that Christ Jesus gave himself as a ransom for Rob Guenther, I would wonder if he didn't mean some other Rob Guenther. But what God wrote leaves no room for doubt. God wants all people to be saved! Christ Jesus gave himself as a ransom for all people! Am I a person? Of course I am! God means me! Are you a person? Then God means you.

You know, we've spent a lot of money here on doors for the school. We've had to. We need doors that re fire rated. That is, should a fire ever break out, they won't burn. They'll keep us safe. Jesus is such a great go-between. He stepped in between God's wrath and us as the perfect mediator and rescued us from the hell we deserve. He paid the penalty that we incurred so that when God's wrath burns, we're kept safe.

And in thanks to our Mediator, Jesus, who's been such a great go-between for us, we are eager to do all that we can, to use all the resources available to us, to help bring others to safety too…

 

II.    We Mediate for Others 

This truth is meant for all people. God wants all people to be saved. But they can't be saved without faith in Jesus as their mediator, their substitute, their ransom. And they can't have faith in Jesus unless someone tells them who he is and what he's done…

So first of all, we pray. We certainly offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the freedoms that we have in our country. We pray that he would continue to give us such peace. But we also pray prayers of intercession. Pray that all rulers may come to a knowledge of the truth themselves. Pray that they might hear the gospel and put their trust in Christ as their Savior. Pray that even pagan rulers would govern wisely and grant peace to their subjects. Pray that in that time of peace someone might share the gospel with their subjects, that all might have a true and lasting peace—not an earthly peace between nations, but a heavenly peace between man and God, "who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."

But don't stop at prayer. Monica, the mother of church father St. Augustine, had a heathen husband who was violent and vicious toward her. She bore her burden with great patience hoping that in the end she might win her husband over to Christ by her example. Monica prayed to God to change her husband's heart again and again. And for such patience and fervent prayer she is to be commended. But what Monica failed to do, was share the Gospel with her husband. It was said of her that she often talked to God about her husband, but she never talked to her husband about God.

Does this mean her prayer was ineffective? Not at all! Think of this way… When we pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Give us this day our daily bread," we pray confident that God will provide for all of our needs. But we don't quit our jobs saying, "God will give me my daily bread; I don't need to work anymore." That would be stupid to get rid of the means through which God gives us daily bread. In the same way, when we pray that God bring others to faith in Jesus, we don't stop there, but do all that we can to share the Gospel, so that God might answer our prayer through us.

God wrote through Paul in Romans 10:14, " How, then can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" Of course the answer to these rhetorical questions is, "They can't! So tell them!"

And Paul was appointed to do just that. He said, "And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles." Paul was a herald, that is, one who preaches God's message. Paul was an apostle, that is, one who is sent by God. And Paul was a teacher, explaining the mysteries of God.

And just as Paul was appointed to be a herald, an apostle, and a teacher, so was Timothy. And so are we. Jesus gave all his disciples the command to, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." (Mark 16:15) He told us, "Go and make disciples of all nations by baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, and by teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19,20) He told us he would be with us always, to the very end of the age, making us sure that these commands still apply to us too. The task of Paul and Timothy is our great privilege too. It is our greatest joy.

Yes, God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. In love for all people he gave us Christ, our mediator, our great go-between, who has redeemed us by his death on the cross. By grace, the Holy Spirit brought us to the knowledge of that truth. Now, out of thanksgiving to him, we want whatever God wants! We want all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of truth. So, we eagerly mimic God. We become great go-betweens ourselves. We pray for everyone, we pray for our leaders, we pray for peace, and we gladly use all our disposal to share with them God's grace. In Jesus' name, dear friends, amen.

  

In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

Read sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Sermons
Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast
Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast

Monday, September 16, 2013

You Are Trustworthy (A sermon based on 1 Timothy 1:12-17)

Are you a trustworthy person? Can others trust you? Can God? We have all proven ourselves untrustworthy to him, but thank God that Jesus came to save us sinners! He is completely trustworthy! And through his work, we are considered faithful - even sinless! - in God's sight. And now he entrusts us with that trustworthy message of his grace. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on 1 Timothy 1:12-17 and rejoice that you are trustworthy!

You Are Trustworthy
A sermon based on 1 Timothy 1:12-17
Sunday, September 15, 2013 – Pentecost 17C 

Where do you get your hardware? Do you head over to Home Depot? Do you try to get what you need in one stop with Walmart or Freddy's? I kind of like going to Trustworthy. I think I may pay a bit more, but I like seeing all those animals on the walls. You don't get that at Home Depot. But I also like the name: Trustworthy. It makes me feel safe, like I can ask a sales associate a question and they'll let me the truth. Like one time I went to purchase salt for my water softener. They were all out so I asked if they had more in back. They told me that they didn't, but that I wouldn't want to buy from them anyway because Fred Meyer had a special. It was cheaper over there. I liked that they would send me over to the competition. I thought they lived up to the name. I can trust them at Trustworthy.

How about you? Are you trustworthy? Would you send a customer to the competition to save them money and earn their trust? Do you maintain your integrity not just in church, but at your work, in your family, with your friends? How about with your God? Are you trustworthy with him? Can he trust that you will manage the blessings he's given to you well, that is, to his glory? Well, when you put it that way, none of us are trustworthy, are we?

But thank God that Jesus is trustworthy. His promises are always true. He always looks out for us, and not himself. And you know this trustworthy truth: That "Christ Jesus came into the world to save [us] sinners." And thanks to his work for us, we are considered faithful to God and we are entrusted with that trustworthy message to share with others.

Listen now to Paul's encouragement to Timothy and to us, recorded for us in 1 Timothy 1:12-17…

12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.


I.              You Are Considered Faithful 

Can you imagine how Paul must have marveled at the grace that God had shown to him? After all, think of what he had been. He was very zealous, but for the wrong cause. Violently persecuting any who dared to suggest that Jehovah, "the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God" was a mere human, he did all he could to stamp out this new heresy called Christianity. But his zeal was horribly misguided. He was dead wrong.

On the road to Damascus, he quickly came to learn that Jesus, though fully human, was and is true God. Jesus is "the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God" whom Paul was persecuting. And though he was ignorant of the truth and his unbelief explained his behavior, it didn't excuse his behavior. Paul understood that in his ignorance he had rebelled against the one and only true God. Paul understood that he was a sinner—the worst of sinners.

He must have expected punishment from Jesus. He must have known how he deserved that blindness inflicted on him when Jesus stood before him on the road. But how surprised, how delighted he must have been when he received his sight. With his physical sight restored when the scales fell from his eyes, he had an ever greater spiritual sight. He once was lost, but now was found, was blind, but now could see.

He now saw who Jesus was. He saw what Jesus had done for him. He saw God's grace. He saw his sins forgiven. And he thanked God for that forgiveness and for the opportunities he was given to serve!

And you know, Paul's story isn't that dissimilar from our own…

Are you trustworthy? God has blessed us all with so much! But he wants us, expects us, demands that we use those gifts he's given to bring glory to him. But how do we use them? Are we faithful? Are we trustworthy? Do you always use your speech to give glory to God? Or do you sometimes bring glory to yourself as you run down others or flatter them to get what you want? If blasphemy is robbing God of the glory that is due him, then we too are blasphemers, just like Paul.

And maybe you haven't ridiculed someone for their faith in Christ, but is it any better if you refuse to encourage them, if you don't' speak up, don't help out, don't serve others, don't contribute? We hurt others in their faith and persecute them by our apathy when we say or do nothing while the souls of millions are sprinting toward hell.

You know, I think that when Paul said he was the worst, he wasn't speaking with false humility or exaggerating with hyperbole. I think he was speaking the truth. He was the worst of sinners. But I think it's also true that I am the worst of sinners too. And so are you. We are all the worst. You see, there are no degrees of perfect. Anything less than 100% perfect is a failure. We have all sinned, so we all get a zero. We are all the worst.

So how could we possibly be considered faithful? Well, you know the answer as well as Paul: Through Jesus who "came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst," through Jesus who condescended to become one of us to put himself under the law to keep it in our place, through Jesus who prayed from the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

So admit you're the worst and confess your sin. God didn't come to save saints, but sinners. If you think you're not a sinner, then Jesus has nothing for you. But he promises in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

The Holy Spirit has given you faith in that promise. And now you are faith-full, that is, full of faith. God has poured out his grace on you abundantly. Like a cup overflowing with water—like a cup sitting underneath a waterfall!—God's grace is poured out on you lavishly. His patience with you is unlimited. His forgiveness is bottomless. And through Jesus, he no longer sees in you a sinner who is the worst, but a saint who is faithful and trustworthy, sinless and perfect.

So "thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given [you] strength, that he considered [you] faithful." And live to thank him, knowing that God isn't the only one watching…


II.            You Are Entrusted with a Message 

Paul wrote, "I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." because he knew that others were watching him. They saw Saul, persecutor of the church, become Paul, missionary to the world. While they may have been hesitant to receive him at first, they would later marveled at God's grace that would turn a violent persecutor of the faith into one of his chief spokesmen. And others would think, "If God can save Saul, he can save me!"

This week I read the account of a man who was raised a Muslim, who was a violent persecutor of the Christian church, who had a change of heart. One day he heard a group of Christians singing hymns and stopped to listen to what he thought to be blasphemous lyrics. But when he heard them, it wasn't what he expected. He approached the pastor of that group and asked about their faith and today he is a Christian trying to rescue others out of Islam.

If God can save someone like that, he can save you. And if God can save sinners like you, he can save others like you! God's grace is still poured out abundantly. His patience is still unlimited. And he still saves the very worst of sinners!

And he does it through you.

Paul's not the only "example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." You are an example too. Others are watching you. And they're thinking, "If God could save a schmuck like Guenther and even make him a pastor, then God can surely save me too." So don't be afraid to admit you're the worst of sinners. It's God's grace, not your behavior that ensures you're in heaven. Never intentionally sin, of course, but don't pretend you're not a sinner either. Others are watching and they see right through any hypocrisy.

But they also see how you respond to trouble and problems and pain. They hear what you say at work. They watch how you live your life. They see your faithfulness at work when you think no one's watching. They see your generosity in helping others. They see your humility in your daily attitude. They see your faithful life and want to know more.

And when they ask, you have an answer to give because you've been entrusted with that trustworthy message. You know that the Bible isn't just a self-help book. It's not a book of rules to teach you how to have a better life. You know that it's all about Jesus and what he's done to make you faithful, trustworthy, sinless in God's sight.

Next time someone asks you, "How are you today?" Try the answer, "Much better than I deserve." That response has often created an opportunity for me to talk about my sin and God's abundant grace very quickly. And when they ask, "What do you mean by that?" answer with the second half of 1 Timothy 1:15. It won't take much to memorize it. Tell them, "I believe that, 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.'"

Would you leave your brand new truck in the hands of a five-year-old? Would you trust them to take care of it or drive it safely? How foolish would you be? How irresponsible?! So why would God leave his Gospel, the good news of forgiveness that would save the eternal soul of his dearly loved children in our hands? Isn't that foolish? Isn't it irresponsible? Doesn't he know how untrustworthy we can be?

But now picture the five year old sitting on the lap and steering in an empty parking lot while you control the pedals. You won't let that child get hurt because you are still in control. In the same way, God entrusts us with his trustworthy message of abundant grace. But he doesn't leave you to drive alone. "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service."

He considers you faithful too. You are forgiven for every time you've let him down. And he's appointed you to service in his Kingdom. And he won't leave you to do the task all alone. He'll give you the strength you need to be faithful and trustworthy and share that trustworthy message as you serve him in endless thanks that mirrors his endless patience and grace. "Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

Read sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Sermons
Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast
Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Never Grow Weary! (A sermon based on Isaiah 40:27-31)

What grace God has shown to Evergreen Lutheran High School! After praying and searching for a permanenet home for 35 years, God has blessed us with a beautiful facility in which we can carry out the ministry to provide quality, Christ-centered education to God's children to prepare them for life and for eternity! What a priviledge and honor it was for me to get the opportunity to preach for the dedication of the new building this past Sunday! But greater than the building is the Gospel message that will be shared in it. And greater than the honor of preaching is the honor of being called a child of God. It's this grace that sustains us when we're weary. It's this grace that helps us to soar! Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Isaiah 40:27-31 and rejoice in God's grace that lifts you up on wings like eagles!

Never Grow Weary!
A sermon based on Isaiah 40:27-31
Sunday, September 8, 2013 – ELHS Dedication 

I still think it's pretty awesome... when I look out the window of my office and see an eagle land in my yard with its huge wing span! Or when I'm out on the river, and I may not be catching fish, but I watch an eagle swoop down from a tree and pull out a salmon showing me up with ease. Or when I'm just driving down the road and an eagle swoops over my van right in front of the windshield. They're so big, so powerful, so awesome! I hope I never get tired of seeing the eagles. I hope I never grow weary of their majesty.

But sadly, for some Alaskans the eagles are about as exciting as the seagulls. "They're just big scavengers," one person told me. "If you really want to see eagles, go to the dump. They always hang around there looking for scraps." "You know what eagles eat most, don't you?" another asked me in a spontaneous game of trivia. "Roadkill." Familiarity makes the most majestic things seem common, even boring.

Now, if you want to grow weary, become complacent, and get used to the majestic eagle, that's fine. You're loss. But far more shameful is when God's people—when I—am no longer awed by God's majestic grace. How sad when the majesty of God's love becomes commonplace, even boring to us.

But this afternoon, the Lord renews our strength. He forgives our sin. And by his powerful Word he renews our awe at his majestic grace so we marvel at it again and don't grow weary. See God's majestic grace pictured for us in Isaiah 40, including those familiar verses of soaring on wings like eagles, but backing up to verse 27 to get the context. Isaiah 40:27-31… 

27 Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God"? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

 

I.              Never Weary of God's Grace 

  1. Weary of Our Problems 

Evergreen Lutheran is just about as old as I am. I was born in August of '78 and ELHS opened her doors in September of that same year. That means that Evergreen's been circling Puget Sound, soaring around looking for a permanent place to land for thirty-five years! From Du Pont to Des Moines from Gig Harbor to Tacoma we've been searching. And that's a long time to fly. Our wings can get tired! How easy it's been to grow weary and think we'd never land.

And Evergreen has had her fair share of other struggles too. Financial challenges may seem to be always looming on the horizon, already having forced budget cuts and downsizing. And it may be easy to grow weary of the struggle. Problems with the staff, problems with the students, problems with the congregations who are supposed to support "our" school, can all lead us to grow weary of the struggle.

And in addition to the challenges and struggles at Evergreen, we have our own personal challenges and struggles too. I'd give more to Evergreen—I'd give more to God—if I had more to give. But my finances aren't exactly like Donald Trump's! My debt seems to be catching up to Evergreen's! I'd serve more if I were in better health, but I'm too worn out all of the time. My health is slipping. I'd help out more if I didn't have so many problems of my own. Let me get my own house in order first and deal with my own kids and my spouse. Then I'll help others.

And then, on top of the real problems, we add worry, and borrow problems from the future. We're worried about our grades, about our kids, about our finances, about our job, about our health, about our retirement. And we pack more onto our backs that we're trying to carry.

It's a heavy load we carry. It's hard to fly when we're that weighed down, isn't it? How easy it can be to grow weary. How easy it can be to start to wonder, "Where is God in all of this? Doesn't he care? Doesn't he see what's going on? Then why doesn't he do something to lift some of these burdens?"   

  1. Weary of God's Grace 

Ah, but isn't our weariness really just a symptom of the bigger problem. Doesn't our weariness with the challenges we face, really come because we've grown weary of hearing about God's grace? That that his majestic love has becoming boring?

Bill began to blush when he went to pay at the end of his meal. He just realized he'd forgotten his wallet at home. But relief washed over him when he saw his old friend, Tom, walk in. "Tom! How've you been, buddy? It's been way too long! Hey listen, pal, I'm really embarrassed to ask you this, but… well… do you think you could spot me $20. I accidentally left my wallet at home and need to pay for my meal. I'll take you out for lunch next week to pay you back and we can catch up."

But to Bill's surprise, Tom cried out, "You've got to be kidding me, you freeloader! No way you're getting me to buy your meal! Get a job, you bum!"

Bill was confused. Didn't Tom recognize him? "Tom, it's me, Bill. Remember, the guy who let you stay in his house for 6 months, rent-free when you were down on your luck? Remember me, Tom, the guy who gave you that interest-free loan when you were just getting started in your business? Remember me, Tom, the guy who pulled you out of the lake when you fell in and were drowning because you couldn't swim? The guy who took you to County Medical and paid for all your bills afterwards? Tom, don't you remember me?"

Tom thought for bit and replied, "Sure, I remember you, Bill. But what have you done for me lately?!"

Isn't that what we sound like to God when we grow weary of his grace and whine and complain against him? "Sure, you've paid for my sin. Sure, you've rescued me from Satan's grip. Sure, you've saved me from hell. But what about my health? What about my finances? What about my kids? What about my spouse? Sure, I remember you, God. But what have you done for me lately?!"

27 Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God"? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

Who are you to imagine that you can understand how God is working through the struggles and the challenges you face? Who are you to think you could even begin to understand the everlasting God? Who are you to question him? Who are you to whine and complain to him?

But we do. We ignore God's Word that calls us to "endure hardship… like a good soldier of Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 2:3) And we whine when things don't go our way. And we add to all of our other problems the greatest problem of sin—of rebellion against "the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth." And that's a burden that's too heavy for us. We can't soar to heaven. We can't even get off the ground. Like an eagle in captivity, we're caged by our sin, chained to death, and by nature doomed to an eternal, inescapable captivity in hell.

  1. Lifted Up by Grace 

And yet, in spite of how we grow weary of waiting for God to deliver things he's never promised, in spite of our rebellious whining and complaining against him, in spite of how often we grow weary of Gods' grace… he never wearies of us.

In fact, he loves us so much, that he soared down to us, not just from the sky, but condescending to come down to us from heaven. He came down to rescue us. He lived a sinless life in our place, never growing weary of doing good, but constantly remained perfect in everything he thought or said or did, never complaining to God even though he was treated unfairly. And he took that that burden of sin that is far too heavy for us to lift and took on himself—every whiny moment, every complaint, every time we've grown weary. And he paid the penalty that our sins earned. Now we are forgiven. The burden of guilt is lifted. He shattered the shackles of sin, destroyed the cage that kept us. He set us captives free and now we're free to soar! 

Now that may seem like an old message. "I've heard it before! I hear it every Sunday and every time I open the Book." But may we never grow weary of hearing it! May you be filled with fresh excitement each Sunday that you hear those words of absolution, "Your sins are forgiven in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!" May your heart be full of joy every time you receive Jesus' body and blood to eat and drink, given for you, poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins! May you rejoice again every time you hear that old message in a sermon, a devotion, a chapel message, as if hearing it again for the very first time: "You are forgiven! You are at peace with God!" And never grow weary of God's grace!

It is incredibly exciting that Evergreen has a new home in a new a building with new opportunities to grow, spiritually and if God wills it, numerically. But far more exciting than the building, the property, or the potential, is the message that will be shared here every day! May you never grow weary of hearing it in your chapel services, daily devotions, and your religion classes! May you never grow weary of teaching it and all the subjects in view of God's grace!

And renewed by God's grace, never growing weary or tired of hearing that Gospel message, God will strengthen you by it to keep serving him in thankful joy without growing weary…


II.            Never Too Weary to Soar

My son said, "Dad, look! He's turning around! And coming right for us! ...Wait. Never mind. He's going away again. ...Wait! Here he comes again! ... Never mind. There he goes." Of course, unlike my son, you know what the Eagle was doing. It was circling. You see, eagles are big birds.

When that huge eagle landed in my front yard, just feet away from my office window, I was awed by its magnificent size. It was about three feet tall. And with a wingspan of seven to eight feet, I'm sure it was a heavy bird. In fact, bald eagles, weighing in at eight to fourteen pounds are too heavy to flap their wings all day to fly. It would take too much energy to lift a bird that big. They would have to consume way too many calories to survive.

So they fly differently than other birds. They have patience. They sit and wait. They wait for a thermal wind—where the sun warms the air quicker over land than over water, creating a breeze with lift. And flapping their wings just enough to get off the ground, they let that thermal wind pick them up. And spiraling around in the sky over that thermal they let the rising warm air do all the work, lifting them higher and higher—up to three miles high!—until they're high enough to just soar to their destination. Very literally, they let the sun lift them up.

What a fitting picture for us—the Evergreen Eagles! On our own, we cannot lift ourselves from this earth to heaven. On our own, we can't find the strength to face the challenges of each day. We can't find the answers to our problems. We don't have the solutions. And when we start to get too full of ourselves and think that it is up to us, well that's when we typically crash to the ground. And even if we can flap around for a while, we can't sustain the energy and excitement that we need to deal with our problems. We can't sustain the energy and excitement that we need to carry out the important work entrusted to us. If it were up to us, we eventually grow weary and burn out.

But it's not up to us. We have patience. And the Son lifts us up. Jesus lifts us up!

29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

You know the promises he's given: "God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5-6) "Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20) "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10) "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." (Psalm 50:15) And I'm sure you can think of dozens of others.

Rely on those promises. Cling to those promises. Let them lift you up and sustain you when grow weary. Let them give you strength and increase your power when you're weak. And as you put your hope in the Lord your strength will be renewed.

So when the bills are piling up and you're weary of the struggle, don't rely on your strength and grow weary! But let the Son lift you up and soar on wings like eagles trusting his promise to provide for what you need to find contentment.

When the homework's weighing you down and you feel like taking a short cut, don't rely on your strength and grow weary! But let the Son lift you up and soar on wings like eagles, remembering Christ's sacrifice for you to serve him faithfully.

When your relationships are strained and you feel like quitting, don't rely on your strength and grow weary! But let the Son lift you up and soar on wings like eagles, remembering God's selfless love for you to selflessly serve others in thanks.

When your health is slipping and you feel like it's time to stop serving, don't rely on your strength and grow weary! But let the Son lift you up and soar on wings like eagles, remembering God's grace to finish the race well.

So here we are. We've finally landed. Our soaring and searching for a place to call home is finally over. And what a majestic place God has given us to land! But let's not just be content to just land. Let's use this place as a launching pad—where where our kids can be strengthened in God's Word for the flights that God has in store for them. Let's launch from this place to proclaim God's majestic grace to our new neighbors. Let's use this place to encourage one another and then fly from here to glorify God in our homes, in our jobs, in our lives. Let's soar, warmed by the Son, strengthened by the Spirit, uplifted by our Almighty God. Let's soar like eagles, until God's flight plan for us is complete and he guides us to safe landing in a place far more beautiful than 7306 Waller Road. By his grace we will land in a heavenly campus, and take up eternal rest for our wings and for our souls at Jesus' side in glory! To him be all thanks and praise! Amen! 

In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast
Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Jesus is Always the Same (A sermon based on Hebrews 13:1-8)

Everything is changing! Nothing stays the same. Ah... but one thing always stays the same: God's love for us in Christ. Jesus Christ is the same: yesterday, today, and forever. He'll never change. So we can trust him and his promises forever. And we can live for him in thanks right now. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Hebrews 13:1-8 and rejoice that Jesus is always the same...

Jesus is Always the Same
Sermon based on Hebrews 13:1-8
Sunday, September 1, 2013 – Pentecost 15C 

Take a minute this morning to consider all the changes that you've gone through in the past 5 years. Living in Alaska you know that the weather is constantly changing. Here at Grace, you've had new bulletin layout, a new Grace Notes publication. We've built a new classroom out of an old annex. New members have joined us, others have left, and you've got a (relatively) new pastor. Almost everything is changing!

Or consider other changes in your personal life: Some of you have go to a new school or have new job. Others have moved to a new home and have made new friends. Relationships have changed between boyfriend and girlfriend, between husband and wife. Some of you have lost a loved one to death. At times it seems that everything is changing all around us.

The Hebrews were living in such a time where everything was changing. In the first decades after Christ, think of what the Jews went through! Their whole way of worship had changed! Their whole way of life had changed! No longer were the Old Testament sacrifices necessary. No longer did they have to abide by the dietary and customary laws that God had given through Moses! It must have seemed that everything was changing all around them. And they were tempted to go back to the good ol' days and back to the old kind of worship.

But the author to the Hebrews reminded them that they didn't need to go back. What they had now was better. And even thought it seemed like everything was changing, one thing would always stay the same—the salvation that they had in Jesus. Jesus is always the same—yesterday, today, forever.

That means he's still the same for us today. No matter what changes in our lives, Jesus is always the same. And knowing that he never changes means we can trust him to eternity. And it means we can love him in time. Listen now to the comfort and the encouragement the author to the Hebrews gives us in Hebrews 13:1-8… 

Keep on loving each other as brothers. 2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. 4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" 7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

 

I.              So Trust Him to Eternity 

Throughout the book of Hebrews the author pointed out how Christ and the system he brought was so much better than the old system. Christ was superior to the angels, to Moses, and to the priests. And he brought a better covenant with God, a better sanctuary, a better sacrifice. So as the author wrapped up this letter, he encouraged the Hebrews not to go back to the old way. Instead, they should rejoice in what they had and live as the people God made them.

What did that look like? He spelled it out with five actions of love in the first five verses: 

·         Love one another: Keep on loving each other as brothers. In other words, be friendly to everyone—whether you like 'em or not.

·         Love strangers: Do not forget to entertain strangers… In other words, be friendly and hospitable to everyone—whether you know them or not. Treat everyone as if God sent them to you.

·         Love the suffering; those less fortunate that you: Remember those in prison… and those who are mistreated… Sympathize with them and don't just ignore them and look the other way.

·         Love your current or future spouse: [Keep] the marriage bed… pure… Don't engage in pre-marital or extra-marital sex and don't even entertain the notion by lusting after someone who you're not married to.

·         And finally, don't love money: Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have… or love God more than you love the stuff of this life and be genuinely thankful and grateful to him for what he's given. 

These were tall orders, weren't they? Still are, aren't they?

·         Have you always been friendly, even to the people you don't like or get a long with? Have you kept on loving each other, just as Christ has loved you?

·         Have you always been hospitable, opening up your home to strangers, neighbors, co-workers? Have you loved people you don't know in the same way that Christ loved you when you were not only foreign to him, but hostile to him?

·         Have you always honored marriage and kept the marriage bed pure with no indecent thought?

·         Have you always kept your money in your bank and out of your heart? Have you always loved God more than your stuff? 

Of course not! Not always. We're all guilty, aren't we? And steeped in our self-centered narcissism, we fail miserably. And by each failure to love God by loving others, and for each failure to love God more than money and stuff, we deserve hell.

But the author to the Hebrews didn't say "That's where you're going!" did he? Instead he offered comfort…

God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

But that was to the Hebrews, right? Does that still apply to us today? Maybe you've seen the commercial on TV where two chameleons are trying to decide what color paint they should get at Lowes'. And they keep changing colors as they step on the paint sample cards. But after they've painted the living room, the wife chameleon changes her mind. And the frustrated husband chameleon says, "You can't keep changing!" 

What if God were like a chamelon? What if you prayed, "Forgive me, God!" And he said, "Nah. Not in the mood. Try me again tomorrow." What if you prayed, "Be with me and help me." And he said, "No thanks. I'm tired of putting up with you."

Ah, but what comfort we find in the last verse of our text! There it says, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. That means that everything written to the Hebrews still applies to us today! God doesn't change.

Jesus is still our helper. He's still our Savior from sin. Jesus is always the same! He always forgives. He never forsakes. That means that the help he provides wasn't just "yesterday" on the cross. It's today and forever too!

He still promises the same thing to us that he promised a young Joshua, entrusted with the lives and souls of thousands of Israelites in the face of some pretty fierce and vicious enemies. He tells us, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified… for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." …The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (Deuteronomy 31:6,8)

Imagine for a minute you're walking through a dark alleyway where all sorts of shady and suspicious characters are lurking looking for someone to rob, to mug, to hurt. How safe would you feel? And that's often what life is like, isn't it? There are people out there who are eager to take advantage of you, to hurt you, to step on you to get ahead. And not only that, but add the guilt and the shame and the weight of your own loveless sins and life can be a scary place.

But now imagine that you're walking down that same dark alleyway. But this time you have with you an armed guard of dozens of navy seals who have all been given the orders to protect you at any cost. How safe you would be! And how comfortable you could feel! Well, friends, you have help that's far more powerful and far more reliable than a few navy seals. You have the certain promise from God that he will never leave you. He will never forsake you. He will always forgive you. And always love you. And those promises will never change since he will never change. Jesus is always the same.

"To infinity and beyond," accurately describes how Jesus will love you. And it accurately describes how we can trust in Jesus. He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. He promises he will always be with us. He will always take care of us. He will never leave us—not when others do leave us, not when cancer won't leave us, not when all our money and all our earthly security leave us. He will never forsake us so we can trust in him to eternity—to infinity and beyond.

And this trust, this absolute confidence that Jesus is always the same, helps us to change. It changes the way we view life. And it changes the way we live life. We no longer live to serve ourselves, but to serve our God by serving others. Because Jesus is always the same we trust him to eternity and that trust leads us to love him here in time…


II.            So Love Him in Time 

When the author to the Hebrews gives these five exhortations, he ends them all with a "because."  Keep on loving each other… entertain strangers… Remember those in prison… [Keep] the marriage bed… pure… Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Because of God's gracious promises—his promise of sins forgiven, his promise of eternal protection from hell, his promise to always be with us—we can't help but respond. And we don't just respond with words of praises. We respond with actions of love. Because of Jesus' promise that he will always be the same, we can love him here and now in time.

Knowing how God has befriended us and promised to be by our side always, we too can befriend others—not with some hidden motive, trying to get something out of them, but eager to love and serve them for Jesus' sake alone. And because of our love for Jesus we can even love complete strangers, treating them as if they were angels sent by God. After all God send these strangers into our lives and lets them cross paths with us for a reason.

Knowing how Jesus loves us and gave himself up for us, we gladly give ourselves up for our spouses—or save ourselves for our spouses. We honor marriage and keep the marriage bed and even our thoughts pure, in thanks to Jesus for making us pure. And knowing that God will never leave us but will always take care of us and provide for us, we can be content with the blessings God has given.

We do all these things, not because we have to, not to prove our worth as Christians, not in order to get into heaven, but in order to thank Jesus for being our helper, to express our gratitude for taking our sins away, to show our appreciation for the promise that he'll never leave us.

So here's your challenge: Find real, tangible ways to express your gratitude to Jesus this week. Don't just thank him with words of praises, but thank him with your actions of love. 

·         Come up with a way you can show love to one another, with a phone call, an email, or a card of encouragement to someone sitting in the pew next to you, or to someone who should be sitting in the pew next to you. Consider inviting a fellow member that you don't know very well over to your house to get to know them better.

·         Find a way of loving strangers—those people you don't know that well, or even at all. Consider inviting a neighbor or co-worker to dinner. Take them out or invite them to your place. Find out what their needs are and how you can meet those needs.

·         Think about how you can ease the suffering of someone who's hurting. Maybe you could become a pen-pal to someone who's in prison. Our synod has a great program that keeps you safe while giving you opportunity to serve them. (Talk to me later if you want to get involved.)

·         Find a way to love your spouse. Ask him or her what one thing you can do this week (that you normally don't do) that would better express your love for him or her and for your Savior. If you're married or single, keep your thoughts and actions pure. Check out a new synod website at www.ConquerorsThroughChrist.net if you need help.

·         And take a look at your budget again. Can you give up some money that you're spending on yourself and instead use it to express your love for God by giving it to him? Can you let go of a little more of the blessings God's given you to keep it out of your heart? 

Consider how you can express your contentment and your gratitude for all the blessings God's given you—not just for the physical blessings, but especially for the greater spiritually blessings—for the promises of sins forgiven and of eternal protection from hell, for his promise to always be with you, to never leave, to never, ever forsake you.

And dear friends, as we place our trust in Jesus—who is always the same, yesterday, today and forever, to infinity and beyond—we can't help but love him here in time and serve him every day of our lives in thanks for the great promises he's given to us—the promises we know he'll keep, because no matter what else changes in our lives in the next five years, Jesus will always be the same. In his name, dear friends, amen.


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast
Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast