Thursday, March 26, 2015

The Miraculous Faith of the Soldiers (A sermon based on Matthew 27:54)

They must have been pretty hardened men. They must have seen a lot in their day. But nothing could have prepared them for what they witnessed that Good Friday. The soldiers who crucified Jesus were actually shocked at what they saw. And through it all God worked another miracle: He worked faith in their hearts. And God has worked the same miracle for you and for me. He's brought us to faith in who Jesus is and what he's done. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Matthew 27:54 and rejoice in the miracle God has worked in you...

The Miraculous Faith of the Soldiers

A sermon based on Matthew 27:54

Wednesday, March 25, 2015 – Midweek Lent 6

 

It's been said that by the time our children reach graduation from high school, they will have already witnessed thousands of deaths and murders. Okay, so maybe not in real life, but they will have seen thousands of portrayals of death and murder in movies and TV shows, in comics and in art, and without filters on the internet and lots of parental supervision, they will see all kinds of grisly and gruesome scenes on the computer, tablet or phone.

And after seeing so much death by high school, can anything shock them anymore? Or will they be so desensitized to such violence that it will seem normal and common place? Our shifting culture sometimes makes me nervous for the next generation.

But of course, gruesome scenes of death are nothing new. They may be more accessible to us today, but murder and death have been around since Cain and Abel.

And can you imagine all the things that the centurion at Jesus' crucifixion must have witnessed in his day? I imagine that Jesus' death was not the first he'd ever seen. And he didn't just witness these cruel, tortuous executions, but performed them on a regular basis, pounding the nails in the hands and the feet amid the screams of the condemned, hoisting those men into place and then watching while the hours or even days slowly took their lives while they stood guard to make sure no family member or friend came to the rescue, shattering their legs with a club, and tossing the bodies on a heap and watching the scavengers feast on their remains.

After watching all of that—after doing all of that—could anything shock these men? It would have to be a lot.

It was a lot.

This evening we hear of one more miracle of Lent. And really, it's the biggest miracle that we've looked at so far: It's the miracle of the faith of the soldiers who crucified Jesus that Good Friday. Our text is from Matthew 27:54, but we again add verse 50 for the context…

 

50 When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit… 54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"

 

How odd this crucifixion must have been to those soldiers. Even if they'd executed 1,000 other men, how different this particular crucifixion was! A huge following came to watch the execution. That wasn't normal. The Jewish leaders were making a huge deal of it. That was odd. And the man on the cross in the middle was completely different. They'd never seen anyone like him before.

Even as he was being tortured to death, he did not curse them, but prayed for their forgiveness. He promised another dying man that he had the power to take him to paradise that very day. He cried out that God had forsaken him—that part mabe seemed normal enough as many of the condemned must have had that same thought. But what happened next was totally bizarre: The sun stopped shining. It wasn't an eclipse. It wasn't just dark clouds that rolled in. The sun simply quit.

For three dark hours they must have wondered what was going on. Then the man in the middle shouted with a loud cry—the shout of a victor, not the whimper of a dying man—"It is finished!" (John 19:30) And with bold confidence, he cried, "Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit." (Luke 23:46)

And the earth shook. The rocks split open. The dead came to life. And these hardened, desensitized soldiers stood in awe. And they made their clear confession: "Surely he was the Son of God!" Can you imagine the terror they must have felt? Desensitized no more. They were very sensitive to what they had just done! We killed the divine!

And I believe this was more than just a confession that the man in the middle was like Hercules. I believe it was more than a confession that he was God. Luke tells us that the centurion also confessed, "Surely this was a righteous man." (Luke 23:47) He may not have fully understood God's full plan of salvation at that point. But he understood that Jesus was true God. He understood that Jesus was true man. He understood that Jesus was the innocent and righteous God-man who died for no sin he'd ever committed.

And perhaps he even understood why Jesus had to die: to win the very forgiveness of sins he had so recently prayed that the Father give to him—to this very centurion who had just killed the God-man—that he too might join Jesus in paradise someday.

Whatever he understood, the Spirit led him to believe. And for a hardened soldier in the Roman army, well, let's face it, for anyone born dead in sin, and hard in heart, this was a great miracle! Greater than an earthquake or some darkness, God changed the minds of these soldiers and he changed their hearts.


And thank God, that he's worked the same miracle in you. You see, you and I are pretty desensitized too. I don't know what kind of movies you all watch, and I don't know if they've led you to be desensitized to violence, murder, and gore. But I do know that every one of us gets desensitized to our sin. Like callouses form on the hands with a lot of yardwork, so all of us have callouses on our hearts that downplay sin—especially our own sins.

We think, "Well, there were no major consequences for committing that sin—that unkind thing I said to my spouse, that unloving gossip I shared with my coworker, that impure thought that no one knows about but me—so no big deal!" Instead of "no harm, no foul," we tend to think, "no foul, no harm."

But a wise pastor once said that the biggest sins are those that are thought of as little. You see, when we commit "big" sins, it's obvious to us and to everyone around that we messed up. We have no choice but to confess. But the so-called "little" sins are the most deadly. Hiding beneath the surface, we learn to live with them, even welcome them. We function with them, so we feel no need to repent. And we get desensitized.

But stand at the foot of the cross again tonight and see what a big deal your sin is. For those "little" sins the Son of God had to die. For your sins God forsook God, the Son endured hell, the sun stopped shining, the earth shook, the rocks split open, as the Father poured out his damning wrath against his Son!

 There are no "little" sins. For any single sin we deserve to be crushed, for we are no less responsible for killing Jesus than that centurion and those soldiers were.

But God has worked a miracle in us. He has changed our minds. He has changed our hearts. He has worked in us a true repentance over all our sins—big and little, known and unknown. We grieve over our sin that put Jesus on that cross.

God has worked a miracle in us. He has changed our minds. He has changed our hearts. We now rejoice in what Jesus accomplished for us on that cross. Because we too know that Jesus is the Son of God. We know that he is a righteous, sinless man. We know that he didn't just pray for forgiveness for those who were killing him, but earned it for them and for all who have ever sinned when he gave his perfect, sinless, divine life on that cross!

And when he cried, "It is finished," he didn't just mean his life was finished. He meant that your sin is! It's done for, paid for, once and for all, destroyed, sent away, never to return again. We know that he can and will take us to be with him in paradise forever too. You believe it and you rejoice.

And you know that this faith is not our work, but God's. He has worked this miracle in us.

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4-5)

"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior…" (Titus 3:4-6)

Rejoice in what God has done for you: He's brought about the miracle of faith in your heart just like he did to for those Roman soldiers.

Now don't take that gift for granted. But grow in that faith that he gives. Don't be desensitized to sin, especially to your own. But ruthlessly hunt it down and wipe it out.

I walked in to my college dorm room and saw my roommate acting strangely. He going through his CD collection. But he wasn't organizing it. He was pulling out almost every other CD and wasn't just throwing them away, but was breaking disk after disk, snapping them in half. Naturally, I asked him what was going on (while slowly backing out of the room).

"A lot of this music," he said, "isn't fitting for a Christian to listen to. The lyrics certainly don't bring glory to God. I never should have bought them in the first place. I considered trying to sell them, but figured if it's not fitting for me, it's not fitting for anyone. So I'm getting rid of them once and for all."

He was tired of being desensitized and would do it no more. So I joined him and helped him destroy his CDs.

Find your CDs, dear friends—those pet sins of yours that you may have become desensitized to, the way you treat your spouse, the impatience you give your kids, the websites you visit, the time you waste… Whatever they are, find them—and snap them in half! Ruthlessly hunt them down and destroy them.

And do this, not to earn God's favor, but because you already have his favor through Christ and because you long to thank him for that miracle.

Look at the one who died for you. Look at the miracle of faith he's worked in you. And recommit to living for him and to growing in your faith in thanks. In Jesus' 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

Have you been blessed by our ministry at Grace? Consider supporting us with your generous gifts. Give securely online with a check or credit or debit card here: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Give

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Look at the One Who Was Pierced (A sermon based on Zechariah 12:10-11)

Sometimes it's hard to look away. Something is so odd looking you want to stare. The injury so gory, it's hard not to look. This morning, we see an odd and gory image: the very Son of God, god's firstborn, his one and only son, being pierced to death on a cross. Zechariah saw it so clearly hundreds of years before it happened. And God invites us to see it too. In fact, he invites us to stare at Jesus. Look at the one who was pierced for our sins. Look at what we did to put him there. But also look to the one who was pierced to take all of our sins away. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Zechariah 12:10-11 and rejoice in the one who was pierced for you and me...

Look at the One Who Was Pierced

A sermon based on Zechariah 12:10-11

Sunday, March 22, 2015 – Lent 5B

 

The dude was pierced all over. His ears had big hoops in the lobes. Bars went through the top of his ears. He had studs in his eyebrows, rings through his lip and in his nose. Even his chest was pierced with chains dangling from the piercings. He should have put a shirt on. The guy looked weird. I didn't want to be rude, but it was hard to look away. It was hard not to look at the guy who was pierced.

This morning, God, through the prophet Zechariah, tells us that we're not being rude when we look at the one who was pierced. Of course, he's not talking about a skateboarder in the park, or the gal at the tattoo parlor, but about his own Son—his only Son. We are encouraged to look at the one who was pierced. We're encouraged to look to the one who was pierced for us.

Our text for this morning is again from the Holy Week Prophet, Zechariah, and is recorded for us in chapter 12, verses 10 and 11…

 

10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.


I.      Look On the One Who You Pierced

 

Look at him. Look at him hanging there. Blood dripping down from his head where the thorns pierce his brow. Blood dripping down from his hands, where the nails pierced him through. Blood dripping down from his feet where the piercing nails protrude. Blood pouring down from his side where the spear pierced him open.

This is one of the most direct prophecies of Zechariah where God himself says, "They will look on me, the one they have pierced…" It was God himself dying on the cross in the person of Jesus. The apostle John shows us the direct fulfillment of this passage: 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water… 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: …."They will look on the one they have pierced." (John 16:33-34, 36-37)

It's hard to look away, isn't it? There is he hanging on the cross, pierced in his brow, in his hands, in his feet, in his side.

But why was he there? Why was he pierced? Why was the sinless Son of God turned into a bloody mess that fateful day? Well, in short, because of you… because of me.

You see, we too often grieve the loss of some trinket. We weep when we lose some comfort. We mourn the loss of some material wealth, while failing to grieve over our sin. We are so self-absorbed that we too often fail to look at the one who was pierced and live for him, but instead live to serve our own selfish wants. And we deserve to be pierced. We deserve to be crushed. But instead Jesus took our place.

So Jesus was pierced. "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities…" (Isaiah 53:5) And the physical pain that Jesus suffered, as intense as it must have been, was nothing compared to the fiercest blow that he received. The hymn-writer put it this way, "But the deepest stroke that pierced him was the stroke that Justice gave." (CW #127:2) The sinless Son of God endured hell itself when the Father turned his back on him to carry out his justice against every sin—against your sin and mine.

We confess it every other week in the words of the Nicene Creed: "For us and for our salvation, he came down from heaven… For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate." How true it is: "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities…" (Isaiah 53:5)

It's enough to make you weep isn't it?

They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.

The plain of Megiddo was where the last good king of Israel was mortally wounded. He was pierced with an arrow and died from that wound. It really hit home when I saw the name of this king. We're told in 2 Chronicles 35 that, "Josiah… went to fight [Neco] on the plain of Megiddo… Archers shot King Josiah, and he told his officers, "Take me away; I am badly wounded." So they took him out of his chariot, put him in the other chariot he had and brought him to Jerusalem, where he died. He was buried in the tombs of his fathers, and all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for him. Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the men and women singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments."

It really hit home because, as you know, Josiah is the name of my firstborn. "They will… grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. 11 On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be… like the weeping… in the plain of Megiddo." (Where Josiah was mortally pierced.)

When we look at Jesus on the cross, we can't help but weep that deeply over our sins that put him there. We weep with the same sorrow we would have if our own firstborn son were killed. We weep in sorrow and in sincere repentance over what we've done to put God's firstborn son—his one and only Son—on the cross.

But God wants us to see more than just sorrow in the piercing of his Son. He wants us to also see his grace…


II.            Look To the One Who Was Pierced

 

God, through Zechariah, said, "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication." And the next phrase, the NIV translates, "They will look on me, the one they have pierced…" But the footnote offers another possible translation: "They will look to me, the one they have pierced…"

We are invited to look on him in sorrow over our sin and weep. But we're also invited to look to the one we have pierced. We look to him for help. And in him we find it. We look to him for forgiveness with the assurance that he will always give it. We look to him and find peace—peace with God who has poured out his grace on us like an eternal waterfall. And he's poured out on us his Spirit of grace to bring us to faith and to keep us trusting not in our works, but entirely in what Jesus has done for us.

Yes, Jesus was pierced. "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities…" (Isaiah 53:5a) But you also know the rest of that verse: "the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5b)

So look to him. Look to him for help and he will heal you of your sin. Look to him for rest and he will give you peace. Look to him for the help you need to stay in the faith and he will continue to send his Holy Spirit. Look to him for all your needs and he gives you the Spirit of supplication who will hear your prayers and answer them in his grace.

Look to him every day as you also look to the skies, because you know that one day soon, he will return. And every eye will see him. Every knee will bow. Every tongue will confess. "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him." (Revelation 1:7)

But on that great and glorious day, our mourning will be over. For those who "have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb… Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:14, 16-17)

When you see someone at Walmart with way too many piercings you may feel awkward looking too long. You know it's rude to stare. But with this one who was pierced, we're encouraged to look. It's okay. Go ahead and stare. Look at him and never look away. For when we look on Jesus, the one we have pierced with our sin, we also see God's grace that he pours out on us so lavishly, cleansing us from our sin, making us fresh and clean, holy and new, sinless and perfect, fit for heaven itself.

May we never look away from the one we have pierced, but always look to him. "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who… endured the cross… Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2-3) 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

Have you been blessed by our ministry at Grace? Consider supporting us with your generous gifts. Give securely online with a check or credit or debit card here: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Give

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

The Kingly Priest (A sermon Zechariah 6:9-13)

Who would ever want to be a pastor and a mayor at the same time? Who could be both a priest and a king and do a good job at both? Jesus! He is the fulfillment of a prophecy of Zechariah which describes the priest, Joshua, being crowned king. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Zechariah 6:9-13 and rejoice that we have the perfect priest, we have the perfect king. Here is the man: Jesus...

"It Is Finished!"

The Kingly Priest

A sermon Zechariah 6:9-13

Sunday, March 15, 2015 – Lent 4B

 

The pastor couldn't believe it. He didn't really expect to win. It was more his commentary on the way things were being run than a serious attempt to be elected. Nevertheless, he won the race! Now, in addition to shepherding his flock, counseling his members, and preaching and teaching every week, he would also be the mayor of his small town. Now he had not just one but two very big jobs to do. How would he ever manage as both pastor and mayor?

This morning we hear the account of an Old Testament priest taking on a second job. He would also be a king. Though we would consider it a confusion of roles of church and state, and thought it was actually forbidden in the Old Testament since only Levites could  be priests and only Jews could be kings, nevertheless one man would hold both offices.

Centuries before Jesus came to Jerusalem, the prophet Zechariah described the events of the last week of his life with such clarity that he's been given the nickname, the Holy Week Prophet. This morning we take a look at a prophecy that describes how a priest named Joshua was also crowned as king. Joshua was his name. And Joshua served not only as a priest and a king, but as a type of Christ. His dual ministry would be like Jesus'—who's name in Hebrew, by the way, is Yeshua, or Joshua. Our lesson from Zechariah 6:9-13…

 

9 The word of the Lord came to me: 10 "Take silver and gold from the exiles… who have arrived from Babylon. Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 11 Take the silver and gold and make a crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak. 12 Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord. 13 It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.'

 

Annas was the high priest. Well, sort of. He had been until the Romans deposed him and placed his son-in-law, Caiaphas, in office. But most of the Jews didn't care what the Romans said. Annas was still their high priest. So for a time there were two high priests residing over the temple. Both condemned Jesus to death, one right after the other. Then they sent him to Pilate.

Pilate was the governor. He wasn't Ceasar by any stretch of the imagination, but he did have considerable power to rule in Jerusalem. He had the power to free Jesus or to condemn him. The Jews could kick Jesus out of the temple, but they couldn't condemn him to death. So the priests passed Jesus to the governor as they sought the death penalty.

After Pilate tried to free Jesus because he was obviously innocent, he had him flogged—whipped with a multiple stranded whip with rock or bone embedded in the strands which would tear away the flesh from Jesus' back. After Jesus had been mutilated, he presented the gory figure back to the people, I think hoping to elicit some sympathy that would make them say, "Okay. Good enough. He's been punished enough. Let him live." And when he presented this broken and bloodied teacher to the mob, Pilate declared, "Here is the man."

"Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face.

4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against him." 5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!"

Yes, here was the man—the man who was the fulfillment of our prophecy in Zechariah—passed from the priest to this ruler to be condemned! How ironic! Here before them stood the Messiah who was typified by Joshua—the Priest who was crowned King—the one who perfectly represented God and ruled for his people in love!

And the priests condemned the Great High Priest that every priest typified. The governor and his soldiers mocked and condemned the King of kings, now blooded and broken.

But why? How could they have missed who he was? How could they have not have known that he was the Kingly Priest? How could we?

Annas, Caiphas, Pilate, and the soldiers may have missed that Jesus was the Great High Priest and the King of kings because he didn't look very regal as he stood before the courts. He didn't look very priestly. And maybe we miss who Jesus is for the same reason. It doesn't always look like he's in control. It seems like we are. We forget about the sacrifice of our priest and forget who he is too.

I know, you're thinking, "I know who Jesus is! I know he is the Priest who sacrificed for me! I know he is the King who rules all things!" But let me ask, don't you sometimes try to take control of things yourself instead of letting Jesus be in charge? If we're honest, that's exactly what we do every time we sin. We try to shove Jesus' off his throne and take the seat ourselves. We forget about the sacrifice our Great High Priest made for us when we refuse to sacrifice anything for him. "Take our silver and gold and offer it to Jesus? No thanks! I'd rather crown myself with glory and comfort and luxury than crown him King."

How we deserve the suffering of Jesus! To be flogged and mocked and struck in the face for so often rejecting the King and forgetting about the sacrifice of our Great High Priest. How we deserve the hell our Kingly Priest endured!

But you know that we never will get what we deserve! Because of what he willingly endured! The Great High Priest submitted to the corrupt priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas that he might become the once for all sacrifice that the priesthood all pointed to. The King of kings submitted to the injustice of a governor more concerned about his job than what was right. He submitted to cruel soldiers that he might fight the battle against sin and hell for us.

And by his work as both priest and king, our Savior has fulfilled what Zechariah declared of Joshua: 'Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord. 13 It is he who will build the temple of the Lord.

To Joshua and the other exiles now returned to Jerusalem, this promise must have given them hope that the temple would soon be rebuilt. The house of God which lay in ruins after the siege that took their city would be restored.

But we can't help but think of what God promised King David through the prophet Nathan: 4 "Go and tell my servant David, 'This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in… " 'I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.' " (1 Chronicles 17:4,10-14)

And you know that the fulfillment is found in more than just Solomon building the temple, but in Jesus building the church. In Luke 1(: ) the angel, Gabriel told Mary,  "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. [that is, Yeshua, or Joshua]  32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

By the sacrifice that our Great High Priest made for us, he has built a temple, a house—his Church—which will never end. And after he made that sacrifice, he ascended into heaven where he still sits on his throne ruling all things for our good.

It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.'

At first it seems like a confusion between the roles of church and state. You wouldn't want your pastor to be your mayor or your mayor to be your pastor. But when your pastor is Jesus, no one minds that he's king too. And when you're king is Jesus, he's also the best pastor. There is perfect harmony between the two offices when they're both carried out by God.

So rejoice that you have a perfect King who rules over all things for your eternal good. Rejoice that you have a perfect Priest who sacrificed himself on the cross to pay for your sins! Rejoice that you have the perfect Kingly Priest who built the house of God.

And he's building that temple today still. Peter declared, "You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5)

So we offer our spiritual sacrifices to God in thanks to him for sending our Kingly Priest to rescue us. We use our silver and gold to crown him the King of kings as we bring our offerings of thanks to him. We serve as the priests of the Great High Priest that he has made us as we share the work of our Kingly Priest with others!

When Pilate announce, "Here is the man," little did he know that there was the God-man who was the Perfect priest and the perfect King. There was the man who as priest sacrificed himself to hell to save all people from their sins. There was the man who as king charged into battle to redeem the world from satan, death, and hell. There was the man who rescued us.

Thank God that we know who he is: Our Priest and our King. And go live for him in thanks as you crown him with glory and praise! In the name of Jesus, our Kingly Priest, 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

Have you been blessed by our ministry at Grace? Consider supporting us with your generous gifts. Give securely online with a check or credit or debit card here: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Give

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth (A sermon based on Zechariah 8:16-17)

"Now tell me truth," dad told his son. "You know that you'll always be in less trouble if you just tell me truth right away." Do you always tell the truth? Always? I hope and pray that we all tell God the truth and confess to him our sin. And I hope and pray that we all trust in Jesus' work for us. Condemned to death because of the lies that were told against us, he paid for our lies on the cross. Now we are forgiven and at peace with God. That is the truth by which we live. And it moves us to boldly tell the truth, come what may, in thanks to him. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Zechariah 8:16-17 and on Jesus' trials and rejoice in the truth of what he's done for us...

 "It Is Finished!" – Lent 2015

The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth

A sermon based on Zechariah 8:16-17

Sunday, March 8, 2015 – Lent 3B

 

The witness took the stand. Beads of sweat formed on his head. He didn't know what to do. If he told the truth, he would surely be in trouble. He knew what he did was illegal and he did it anyway. But if he lied, and got caught in that lie, he knew he would be in even more trouble. What should he do?

Then the bailiff asked him to raise his right and place his left on the Bible. He asked the witness, "Do you solemnly swear or affirm that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth… so help you God?"

God loves the truth and hates lies. Satan hates the truth and is the father of lies. Lies destroy reputations, lose property, take lives, and damn to hell. So God hates lies and loves the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. But that's not always what he gets. Our Holy Week prophecy for this morning is taken from Zechariah 8:16-17…

16 These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; 17 do not plot evil against your neighbor, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this," declares the Lord.

Hundreds of years before the events took place, Zechariah described the events of Jesus' suffering and death with such clarity. Now, today's prophecy isn't a direct prophecy fulfilled in something Jesus did, but nevertheless, as we read God's expectations of his people given through Zechariah, we can't help but think of the miscarriage of justice carried out in Jesus' trials. We just read Matthew 26:27-60:

57 Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58 But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.

59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward…


What a horrible miscarriage of justice! Slanderous lies were told about the sinless Son of God in order to incriminate him and sentence him to death by torture, when he not only did nothing to deserve the death penalty, but was always perfectly loving to everyone!

Ah, but it wasn't just at Jesus' trial that God has had to put up with lies…


I.      Tell the Truth

 

You know the story of the boy who cried wolf. He lied and he lied again. But his lies caught up with him when finally no one would believe him when he really did need help. Well, how about us, don't we too lie and lie so that God should never believe what we say.

You may object, "Not me. I'm an honest person. I tell the truth to my family and my co-workers. I don't lie to customers and I don't make a promise to my kids when I don't know if I can keep it." Ah, but don't we lie to God?

We perjure ourselves before God when we cry, "God I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for my sin. I promise I'll never do that again," but then run back to do the same sin again. We swear to God, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will." (Matthew 26:33) But then we break our promise and fall away.

You know that the word, "amen," means "truth." That's what you and I declare at the end of our prayers. We say, "I believe this to be true and claim it for myself."

That's what you say when you pray, "Hallowed be thy name," that you will do all that you can to keep God's name holy in your life. That you will do all you can to share his name with other.

That's what you say when you pray, "Thy Kingdom come," that you want God to have more control in your life and for you to have less.

That's what you say when you pray, "Thy will be done," that your will be frustrated every time it's contrary to God's and that you don't get your way.

That's what you say when you pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," that you will be content with the blessings that God gives us even if it were to only be the bare necessities that I need to live for just today.

"Amen. It is true." We all declare. But is it? Do you swear to tell the truth? … The whole truth? … Nothing but the truth? … So help you God?


We didn't lie about Jesus when he was on trial to try to condemn him to death, but nevertheless, he was condemned to death for our lies and for our sins. It was our lies that he went to the cross. Do you swear to tell the truth, so help you God? Then we deserve no help from God for all of our lies.

For, "There is no one righteous, not even one… there is no one who does good, not even one." "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on their lips." (Romans 3:10-13)

So if we were to stand on trial before God, we know what the verdict would be. "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God." (Romans 3:19)

But thank God that even though we don't speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, Go helps us so! He has revealed to us the truth about our Savior…


II.            Believe the Truth

 

From Annas to Caiphas to Pilate to Herod and back to Pilate again, Jesus was passed from one trial to the next with four separate Judges. And not a one of them sought the truth. No defense lawyer came to his aid. The prosecution spewed lies, which were so obvious that Jesus' innocence was well established in every case. The only one who spoke the truth at Jesus' trials was Jesus.

And so he was condemned. Even though at any time he could have knocked the entire courtroom to floor with a single word! Even though he could snapped his bonds with such ease that it would have made Samson look like a wimp! Even though he could have walked right out of the room parting his captors like Moses parted the sea. But Jesus allowed the slander, the injustice, the lies, and the mistrials that all led to his execution… to save us from our sins. This truth sets us free.

Jesus never told a lie. He always spoke the truth. He always spoke the truth in love—even when he knew that truth would not be well received. Jesus always spoke according to God's Word. And he gives his perfect truth-telling record to us liars. And he took every one of our lies on himself and was sentenced to the death penalty for our crimes. But he did it all willingly—gladly even!—to rescue us from our sin.

You know the Hebrew of Zechariah 8:16 where the NIV translates,"Render true and sound judgment," it literally says, "Make true judgments and a judgment for peace." That's what God has done. He has made a judgment against his own Son for peace—a unjust judgment, as Jesus took the fall for all the evil we've done, and we get the credit for all the good he's done—a judgment that brings us peace with God.

So we are redeemed. We are forgiven. Because he who was innocent took the fall, we who are guilty are set free, just like Barabbas was. This is the truth. This is most certainly true.

So don't believe satan's lies. Don't believe satan's lie that sin is no big deal. Your sin—your little white lie—was enough to cause Jesus' death and damnation on the cross. But don't believe satan's lie that your sin is too big to forgive. Jesus has paid it all. As John so succinctly put it, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8-9) This is the truth! Jesus is the truth!

And Jesus is your life! So live for him! Live for him by telling the truth. Speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth—in thanks to God for so helping you! Speak the truth in love.

Speak the truth of your sin, to God and to those you've wronged, accepting the consequences, but rejoicing in the truth of absolution. Speak the truth of forgiveness to the one who's wronged you, in response to the truth that Jesus has forgiven you. Speak the truth to your friend about the situation he's in. Gently point out the sin. Speak the truth of Jesus' love to your neighbor. Tell her what Jesus has done.

Yes, speak the truth. Speak the whole truth. Speak nothing but the truth. So help you God. May God help you do this and give you the courage to always speak the truth in love in thanks to him for the lies he allowed to rescue us. In his name, dear friends, this is most certainly true. 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

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The Miraculous Earthquake (A sermon based on Matthew 27:51b)

The earth trembled beneath their feet. This was big. As we continue to examine the miracles of Lent, we take a look at the earthquake that shook the ground at Jesus' death. And we see that something truly big was taking place: God was forgiving the sins of the entire world. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Matthew 27:51b and rejoice that nothing can shake the firm foundation beneath your feet...

Miracles of Lent

The Miraculous Earthquake

A sermon based on Matthew 27:51b

Wednesday, March 4, 2015 – Midweek Lent 3

 

On Good Friday, the earth violently shook beneath their feet. The earthquake was massive. It hit a 9.2 on the moment magnitude scale. And though it only lasted a little over 4.5 minutes, it resulted in huge fissures 30-feet wide, it ripped a school in half, ignited an oil tank farm, and resulted in over a hundred deaths. And the effects of that quake were felt around the world. The ground in Houston, TX was lifted 4 inches higher. The ground in Florida was lifted 2.5 inches higher.

That was in 1964 and you know that the epicenter was here in Alaska. Now, rewind a few thousand years to another Good Friday. That Good Friday earthquake shook heaven and earth to the core. And the effects of it have not only been felt around the world, but throughout all time, through eternity.

Tonight, as we again examine the miracles of Lent, we look at the miracle of the earthquake as it's recorded for us in Matthew 27:51. We again add verse 50 for the context where Matthew simply reports…

50 When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51 At that moment… the earth shook…

 

Ever experience a big earthquake? Some of you may remember the quake of '64, known as the Great Alaskan quake.

I remember an earthquake at Evergreen. The junior varsity basketball team was playing their game and it was about over. I was on the varsity team and was ready to run out on the court to warm up as soon as the JV was done. And standing safely in that doorway, I watched the bleachers wobble, and ripples of waves rolling in the concrete gym floor. The lights didn't stop swinging until our game was about to start.

It was exciting and a bit scary, but no damage was done. No one was hurt. We went on with the game.

Now I don't know what magnitude that that earthquake was on the moment magnitude scale. Nor do I know the magnitude of that first Good Friday earthquake. But I do know the damage done on that day—the Son of God was killed. And worse that physical death, God the Father turned his back on God the Son in disgust at the sins he carried. And it was as if the earth itself shuddered at the thought.

And you know why that event took place that day. It wasn't because the pressure had been building under the plates of the earth's crust. It wasn't because a major fault line had slipped a bit. It was because God's pressure had been building against mankind's sin since Adam and Eve rebelled. It was because you and I have slipped up so often and sinned against God.

You see, we too often shudder and shake in fear at the loss of a friendship, at the loss of some comfort, at the loss of getting what my selfish heart desires, more than we shudder at the thought of upsetting a holy God. And so we sin. We rebel against a God who has only loved us, only wants the best for us, only does what's best for us.

Can you imagine if you shared your love with that person that you care most about in the world and they responded, "Go away. I don't need you right now. You don't fit my selfish plans. I may come talk to you later if I need something from you." How God's shoulders must quake as he weeps over the way we treat him.

Yes, it was because of your sin and mine that God forsook God, that the Father abandoned the Son, that Jesus endured hell. That truth is a hard one to take. It makes us shudder at the thought. It makes our shoulders quake as we weep over our sin and how we've ruined our relationship with God.

 

But knowing why Jesus suffered and died for us, gives us a comfort and peace no matter what we're going though. For we know he died to pay for our sins and to bring us back to God. And the earth shook to show us the magnitude of this event.

Many earthquakes can be felt miles and miles from the epicenter. The Great Alaskan quake was literally felt in Texas and Florida! And it was followed by hundreds of aftershocks that kept coming even a year later.

Well that first Good Friday quake can be felt all the way from Jerusalem to Kenai. And the aftershocks are still shaking almost 2,000 years later. You know that your sins are forgiven. You know that you have peace with God. You know that he will take you into his heavenly home to be with him forever.

And that gives us an unspeakable peace in this life, even when the ground is shaken beneath our feet and our world is rocked to the core.

The boss calls you in to let you know they're downsizing and you didn't make the cut. The doctor says the cancer is spreading and the odds of recovery are slim. Another miscarriage leaves your heart broken for a child you never knew. The troopers show up at your door to notify you that your teen did not survive the crash.

How these events pull the rug out from under us and shake the ground beneath our feet like no earthquake ever could. But even if these all were to happen to us, we have a sure and certain foundation on which we stand:

"I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another." (Job 19:25-27)


For there was another time that earth shook violently that Holy Week. Matthew reports, "There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven… The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." (Matthew 28:2,5-6)

Now, no matter what happens in this life, we know that we will make it. And we too will rise to be with him. So, "we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea." For, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:2,1)

And we say with confidence: "My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare to make no other claim, But wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ, the solid rock, I stand; All other ground is sinking sand." (CW #382, v.1)

In Jesus' 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

Have you been blessed by our ministry at Grace? Consider supporting us with your generous gifts. Give securely online with a check or credit or debit card here: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Give

Monday, March 2, 2015

Scattered Sheep (A sermon based on Zechariah 13:7-9)

"Run away! Run away!" Too often when the heat gets turned up, we are too willing to give up our faith and run from Jesus to avoid any persecution. But Jesus tells us that the heat is really a refining fire that makes our faith even stronger. Another prophecy from Zechariah, the Holy Week prophet, is fulfilled in Jesus, when the Shepherd was struck and the sheep scattered. Thank God that he did send his sword against our Good Shepherd instead of us! Now we are refined of all our sin through Jesus. Now we find the courage to take a stand for him. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Zechariah 13:7-9 and be encouraged by your Good Shepherd...

Scattered Sheep

A sermon based on Zechariah 13:7-9

Sunday, March 1, 2015 – Lent 2B

 

Caius had been in the Roman army for a long time. He had seen many a battle. And he was still alive. And through it all his trusty sword had been his constant companion. He cared for that sword like it was his child, cleaning it after every battle, oiling it to keep the rust away. It was like a trusted friend and he even spoke to it. "You did well today. You fought bravely and bit hard. Thank you for defending me and helping me to bring the victory."

Now if it seems a bit odd that someone should talk to a sword, then you might want to consider our text for this morning. In another prophecy of Zechariah, the Holy Week prophet, God speaks to his sword. He cries to it, "Wake up! It's time to act! It's time for you to strike the one that's close to me. It's time to strike the shepherd."

Of course it wasn't a literal sword to which God spoke in Zechariah's prophecy, but a symbol of the suffering and death that would come to Jesus. Our holy week prophecy for consideration this morning is found in Zechariah 13:7-9…

 

7 "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!" declares the Lord Almighty. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones. 8 In the whole land," declares the Lord, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it. 9 This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The Lord is our God.' " 


I.              The Sword Will Strike

 

Hundreds of years before the events took place, Zechariah described the events of Jesus' suffering and death with such clarity.

This morning we hear the prophecy that Jesus himself quoted in Matthew 26:31: Then Jesus told them, "This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: " 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' And picking up again in verse 56: "But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

Clearly, the shepherd of Zechariah's prophecy in our verses for today is still the Good Shepherd whom we heard about last week. It's still Jesus. He was close to God in every way. No sin kept him distant or separated. Yet the sword would strike him nevertheless… 

"Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!" declares the Lord Almighty. "Strike the shepherd…"

Parents are supposed to love their kids. Parents are supposed to protect their kids. But God sent a sword against his own Son. And not to discipline him like a human father might spank a human child. God sent a sword against his own perfect Son!

Why?! Why would God do this? How could God do this to his perfect Son?

Well, you know the answer: "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…" (John 3:16)

The sword would strike the perfect Shepherd who was close to God because it was part of God's plan to save his "little ones," that is to save us. God loved us who so often like to scatter when we feel threatened.

Like roaches, who scatter when the light goes on, we too often run scared when the Light of the World asks some sacrifice of us or asks for us to crucify the sinful nature. We like to run back to the comfortable dark. We like to run to "safety" where the persecuting world will leave us alone.

But when we run from the Good Shepherd, we have no one to rely on but ourselves. And while it may bring peace for a time in this life, it will devastate us forever. Jesus put it this way, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:26)

And for being so willing to forfeit our souls to avoid any discomfort for the sake of Jesus we deserve to have God call upon his sword to strike us down… forever in hell.

But… "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…" (John 3:16) So he called upon his sword to strike Jesus instead of us: "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!" declares the Lord Almighty. "Strike the shepherd…"

And so, we are rescued! We are saved from God's sword! We are saved from his wrath! We are saved from the hell we know we deserve! And we are saved because the Good Shepherd took the blow for us!

And now, we're eager to live for him, no matter what persecution or pain it may bring… 


II.            The Sheep Will Scatter

 

This is what Jesus has come to do: He came to rescue lost sinners from their own sin and from death and from hell. He didn't come to save his sheep from all suffering and pain. In fact, he made it clear that

"the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you:" he told his disciples, "'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." (John 15:19-20) "In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God…" (John 16:2)

The Shepherd was attacked. His sheep will be too. When a wolf bites a shepherd and takes him down, you can be sure that it will go after the sheep next. The disciples heard that warning from Jesus, but they didn't like it. They were hoping for a different kind of Savior—one that would give them power, and prosperity, and comfort, and ease, and their best life here and now. And so, when their expectations were crushed, they ran.

Zechariah prophesied, "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.  In the whole land," declares the Lord, "two-thirds will be struck down and perish; yet one-third will be left in it."

When people heard that Jesus would not be the kind of Savior they were hoping for, many rejected him. John 6(:60,66) says, "Many of his disciples said, 'This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?' … From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him."

So, how do you receive him?

Are you looking for a Savior who will make all your problems go away? Who will give you health, financial security, bliss in every relationship, and happiness in every aspect of life?

Well, what if he won't give you those things? What if he allows pain and sorrow and disappointment and frustration to hit every aspect of your life? (After all, he never promised those things to you. Instead he promised, "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." John 15:19-20) So if—or better, when—such persecution comes, will you scatter like the 2/3 that Zechariah said would be struck down?

No. You won't. You will stay with Jesus. You will take it on the chin. You will take the persecution that comes. And you will be better for it.

You will be refined by it. "This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold."

It won't be pleasant as the fires burn. It won't be fun when the persecution comes. But in the end it will make our faith stronger.

History tells us that all but one of the eleven disciples were martyred for their persistence in clinging to Jesus. But we're also told in Acts 5:41 that they rejoiced "because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name."

In suffering you won't run from him, because you know he would never run from you. Instead you'll call on his name. You'll pray to him and he will answer you. He will give you a stronger faith to face to the challenges that come your way.  For he has declared that you are his people. He has promised that when you call on his name he will answer you!

So when my faith grows weak and flickers like a candle, I will say, "The Lord is [my] God." When death rears its ugly head and my confidence is shaken, I will say, "The Lord is [my] God." When satan comes and tells me I am lost for what I've done, I will say, "The Lord is [my] God." For I know that every bad thing the Lord allows to come my way is really meant to drive me closer to him.

So, rejoice, dear friends when you are refined in your faith through the problems and persecution that you face. As Peter, who once ran from Jesus, but later was restored, said, "These [trials] have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:7)

And rejoice that you are already refined of sin because the Father put the sword to his own Son and struck the Good Shepherd in our place. Now God says of us, "These are my people." And we say of him, "The Lord is our God."  In Jesus' 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

Have you been blessed by our ministry at Grace? Consider supporting us with your generous gifts. Give securely online with a check or credit or debit card here: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Give