Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Are You Rich or Poor? (A sermon based on Luke 16:19-31)

Are you rich? Or poor? You might be tempted to look to your bank account or savings account to answer that question. You might be tempted to look to your house, your vehicles, and other assets to answer that question. But when you and I look to the Word to answer that question, we see that whether we're financially rich or poor, spiritually we're filthy, stinkin' rich! Through faith in Christ our sins are forgiven, we are at peace with God, and we have the mansions of heaven awaiting us! Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Luke 16:19-31 and rejoice in how rich you are! 

Are You Rich or Poor?

A sermon based on Luke 16:19-31

Sunday, September 25, 2016 – Pentecost 19C

 

Mark Zuckerberg… Warren Buffett… Bill Gates… What do these all have in common? They are all billionaires with a net worth of $42.8 billion, $60.7 billion, and $87.4 billion respectively! Man, what we could accomplish if we had that kind of money, right? Hey, I bet I could even get a lot done with only $1 billion. It sure would be nice, wouldn't it? …or would it?

What would you think if I told you that you already have more wealth than Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Mark Zuckerberg combined? What if I told you the luxuries that you have are far greater than theirs with their mansions, their yachts and their servants? You may think "Yeah, right! Come on, pastor, you're kidding right?" But the truth is, you do have more. You have so much more!

Through the Word of God you know of Jesus' death on the cross to pay for your sins. And while you may not have billions of dollars, or even millions—hey, you may not even have hundreds of dollars!—nevertheless, you have the Word of God! In it you're reminded that you're going to heaven for eternity not because of what you do, but because of what he's done. That's something they don't have. And unlike money, no one can ever take that away from you!

That makes you spiritual billionaires! You are rich in this life and in eternity. Jesus points that out in our text for this morning, found in Luke 16:19-31…

 

19 "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

25 "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

27 "He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'

29 "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'

30 "'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'

31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

 

I.              In Life?

 

Wouldn't it be great to have the money of Bill Gates? Imagine the life of luxury you could have! That's the life of luxury this rich man lived. He had it all. Luke says he was dressed in linen—likely some imported cloth like Egyptian cotton—and that that cloth was purple—made from a dye that was extracted one or two drops at a time from a rare shellfish, and so, was very expensive. The Greek implies that this wasn't just his choice of clothes for special occasions, but what he wore around the house all the time.  Jesus summed up his lifestyle when he said he, "lived in luxury every day."

Lazarus, on the other hand, wouldn't have made the Forbes 400 or the Forbes 4 billion for that matter. He wasn't exactly living the lifestyle of the rich and famous, like his neighbor. He didn't even choose where he lay. The text says he was laid there, no doubt by others who didn't want the responsibility, but thought the dumpster diving would be better at this guy's house.

And there he lay with nothing. No home. No money. No food—longing to eat scraps. Forget purple clothes! He would consider this guys trash a luxury, IF he could get it! But he couldn't even do that! His health was too far gone. He didn't even have the strength to drive away the wild and dirty dogs that licked at his open wounds.

Who would you rather be? The rich man or poor Lazarus? The answer seems, obvious, right? Give me the health. Give me the wealth. Give me the luxury to do whatever I want whenever I want. It would be much better to have it all rather than be a homeless wretch who doesn't even have his health, wouldn't it? Well, to be honest… No. It wouldn't. That's what Jesus points out in this parable.

The reality was that even though it seemed the rich man had everything he needed while Lazarus had nothing, the exact opposite was true. The rich man had nothing that mattered. He lived his life only for himself focusing on things that wouldn't last, and not on things of eternal importance. And whether he realized it or not, he had no peace with God. By his sinful, selfish acts he had declared war on God. And it was a war that he was sure to lose! What a poor, miserable beggar he was—and he didn't even know it!

But Lazarus, on the other hand, was truly rich—already in this life! He had everything he really needed. He had Moses and the Prophets, that is, the Word of God. And he understood what they said: That he was a sinner, that he too had declared war on God by his sin. But he also understood that they proclaimed peace with God through the Savior—the Messiah who was to come. Lazarus was rich in the Word. We know that for sure by his eternal outcome.

You know, the name Lazarus means, "God is my help" and he did have a rich faith that put his trust in God to help him, not just with the problems of this life, with his cash flow or health issues, but with his greatest problems of sin, of death, of hell. And by that faith he had forgiveness of sins. He had peace with God.

He was spiritually healthy though physically ill, spiritually nourished thought physically starved, and spiritually wealthy, beyond his wildest dreams, though physically impoverished.

 


So I ask again? Which would you rather be? The rich man or poor Lazarus? I hope you all say, Lazarus, because he alone of the two was truly rich. And dear friends, you do have that same wealth! You are incredibly rich beyond your wildest dreams—right now!

Let's face it, we all have more wealth and stuff than the rich man of this parable ever dreamed of having. For him flushable toilets, microwaves, TV's, and computers were all unimaginable! Looking out in the pews this morning I see clothes in many different colors the rich man wouldn't dream of. How wealthy we are!

But friends, don't let that wealth rob you of your greater wealth as it did the rich man. If you take two dimes—the smallest of coins—and place them right in front of your eyes, they completely block your view of everything else. And looking at money with the wrong perspective can also make us lose sight of God and of eternity.

And if we're honest, friends, we all must admit, "We've let it happen." We've given the pursuit of money and the stuff it can buy a higher priority in our lives than the pursuit of a richer faith though the study of God's Word. We often—daily even—lose sight of eternity. And by these sins, we declare war on God, whether we mean to or not!

But thank God that he doesn't treat us as our sins deserve! He doesn't take his Word away even though we so often neglect it. Instead he makes us wealthy in the Word! We not only have Moses and the Prophets (which are by themselves enough to explain God's plan of salvation), but we also have the Gospels and the Epistles!

We have God's plan of salvation made crystal clear to us: We are rescued from the hell we deserve by Jesus who gave up all the luxuries of his heavenly mansion to become a lowly human and to live among us. He gave up his physical health to be tortured to death on a cross. And he gave up his spiritual health to take our wretched sin on himself, when he was sinless. And, finally, he took the torment of hell in our place on the cross. He experienced the torment and the agony of hell so we won't ever have to!


Now that's good news! And that Good News—that Gospel—is so readily available to us! How rich in the Word we are! The most valuable riches in the world don't cost a fortune, but are found in your Bible that costs a few dollars. In fact, if someone in this room doesn't have their own Bible, I will gladly give you one for free.

And what's more, if you don't like to read, you can watch videos or listen to sermons on your smart phone! You can download and listen to the entire Bible online for free! And we still don't make anyone buy a ticket for a seat in the pew!

What riches are readily available to us at no cost! How richly we've been blessed with the Word! Use that wealth, now while you can, friends! Treasure it! Because if you have the promises of God in his Word, you have everything that you need—even if you have nothing else! And in the end, you will find what a great investment of your time and of your money it really was. You will be rich in eternity…

 

II.            In Eternity?

 

When the beggar died… the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell… he was in torment… 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony…'

Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'

Abraham told the man the sad truth of his eternity. His choices had been made. He chose to ignore God's warnings. He chose to live life entirely for himself with no thought of life after death. And now, his fate was sealed. There was no going back. Eternity has finality.

Remember that popular show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Remember what Regis always asked when a contestant gave an answer? He said, "Is that your final answer?" And once they said yes, there was no going back. They couldn't change their mind. They couldn't wait until the answer was revealed and all of a sudden cry, "Wait! Wait! That's what I meant to say!" No. Their final answer stood. It was final—irrevocable. 

We've all experienced that before, haven't we? Ever said or done something you wish you could take back, but it's too late. It's said or done and can't be unsaid or undone. Well, that's true of eternity as well. Reject Christ for the wealth and luxuries of this life and once you're dead—final answer—there's no turning back. It can't be undone. It's final and it's eternal. But trust in Christ, fight the good fight and die in faith, and heaven is yours for eternity.

So how do you make sure we have the right final answer? Cling to Jesus in faith. Don't despise the Means of Grace that God's given us—his Word and his sacraments. As ordinary as they look, they are true riches and have more powerful a witness than someone coming back from the dead. After all, if you were visited by a ghost, wouldn't you most likely think you'd gone crazy, that your mind was playing tricks on you? But God's Word is clear. It tells us exactly what we need to know. It makes us rich.

And trusting in our Savior revealed to us in that Word, one day very soon you and I will also be comforted at Abraham's side. There in heaven, "Never again will [we] hunger; never again will [we] thirst. The sun will not beat upon [us], nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be [our] shepherd; he will lead [us] to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from [our] eyes."

Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Mark Zuckerberg can keep their billions. We don't need it. We're already rich beyond our wildest dreams. And while they had to work hard to get their billions, we didn't have to do a thing to get the trillions of treasures that are ours in Christ. He's won them for us. He's revealed them to us in his Word.

We're rich in the Word that makes us rich in faith. And that faith makes us certain that one day soon, when we die, we will join Lazarus at Abraham's side. We will be rich for eternity. Rejoice, friends, that you are so filthy rich! And use your wealth wisely—to God's glory—every day! 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

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Tuesday, September 20, 2016

​Your Kingdom Come (A sermon based on 1 Timothy 2:1-7)

We pray it every day in the Lord's Prayer: "Your Kingdom Come." But do we really mean it? Is that really what we want? Too often what we really want is for "My kingdom to come," that is for me to get my way instead of God's. Thank God that he forgives our sin through Jesus and brings us into his Kingdom through faith. Now, in thanks to him, we're eager to do all we can to help bring others into God's Kingdom: We pray for them, we work to give them a knowledge of the truth, and we use all of our resources to that noble end. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on 1 Timothy 2:1-7 and be encouraged by God's Grace! 

Your Kingdom Come

A sermon based on 1 Timothy 2:1-7

Sunday, September 1

​8​
, 2016 – 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 in his Kingdom.

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: to pray for it, to work for it, to strive to bring others into God's Kingdom in thanks to him for bring us into it. Listen now 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.      Brought into the Kingdom 

Listen to the words Paul uses to describe prayer. First he says "requests," telling God our needs, then simply "prayers," worship and praise. "Intercession" involves requests on the behalf of others. And of course, "thanksgiving" is showing appreciation for what he has already done.

And who should these prayers be made for? "For everyone." But Paul specifically highlights, "kings and all those in authority."

Obviously there's a lot of talk these days about our president, about our senators, about the presidential candidates with elections coming up. But how much prayer is offered up for President Obama. How often do you pray for him?

Or with the upcoming elections, when you do pray that God would guide the elections (and you know he will because Romans 13 tells us that "There is no authority except that which God has established. [And] the authorities that exist have been established by God."), do you pray that your favorite candidate would win so you're taxed less or get more comforts for your life?

That's not why God wants us to pray for "kings and all those in authority"? He says, "that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." But Paul doesn't seek such a peace so that we have a better economy and more toys, or so we can hole up in our homes and enjoy our comforts, but so 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."  

Do you pray that God would position the leaders of our nation so that your own prosperity may increase? Or so that more people might hear the Gospel? Do you really mean it when you pray that phrase of the Lord's prayer, "Your kingdom come"? Or do you really mean, "My kingdom come?"

I think we can easily answer that question by looking at the way we all spend our time. How much do you spend in hobbies? And how much do you spend looking for ways to spread the Gospel? How much do you spend in leisure or entertainment? And how much do you spend reading and studying the Word so you're better prepared to witness?

Let's face it. Satan has little difficulty keeping us happily entertained while we carelessly let our neighbors, coworkers, and friends slowly die and drift into hell. It's not just our prayers that are selfish; it's us. And because of our selfishness, enjoying the benefits of being in God's Kingdom while being content to leave others outside, we deserve kicked out. For being happy to let others wander into hell as long as we have what we want, we deserve that 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."

You know, a lot of churches have a lightning rod on the top of their steeple. That way, should lightning strike, it would hit the metal rod and run through a metal cable to the ground and not destroy the steeple and burn the church. What a fitting picture when that lightning rod is affixed to the cross on the top of the steeple because that's what Jesus has done for us.

Jesus is our mediator, Paul wrote. That is, he is our go-between. Jesus stepped in between God's wrath and us and when God's wrath struck like lighting, it all hit Jesus and went around us. He endured God's punishment instead of us. He endured hell for our sake. And he paid the penalty that we incurred so that when God's wrath strikes, we're kept safe.

And we know it applies to us because it applies to "all men."

A quick search on WhitePages.com reveals that there are 2 other Rob Guenthers in Alaska alone. 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 other 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! God wants me in his Kingdom! And he's brought me into it! Are you a person? Then God means you. God wants you in his Kingdom. And he's brought you into it.

Now in thanks to our Mediator, Jesus, for saving us, for bringing us to a knowledge of the truth, for ruling in our hearts, and for bringing us safely into God's Kingdom, we are eager to help bring others to safety too, not just praying, "Your kingdom come," but doing all that we can, using all of the resources available to us, to make it happen…

 

II.    Bring Others into the Kingdom 

This truth is meant for all people. God wants all people to be saved. But they can't be saved without "a knowledge of the truth" of Jesus as their mediator, their go-between and lightning rod. And they can't have that "knowledge of the truth" unless someone tells them who Jesus is and what he's done…

So first of all, we pray. We certainly offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God for the religious freedom that we have in our country. That's good and right. We pray that he would continue to give us such peace.

But we also pray prayers of intercession. Pray that all rulers—presidents, senators, representatives, governors, mayors, and whatever other government positions there might be—that they may come to a knowledge of the truth themselves. Pray that they might hear the gospel and that the Spirit would help them put their trust in Christ as their Savior.

Pray that even pagan rulers would govern wisely and grant peace to their subjects so that in that time of peace someone might share the gospel with them and give them a true and lasting peace—not an earthly peace between nations that can so easily be lost, but a heavenly peace between man and God, "who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth"—a peace that will last for eternity!

But, friends, 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 that 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 "Your kingdom come," 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, h-e-r-a-l-d, not this guy, Harold, H-a-r-o-l-d. A herald is one who proclaims a message. Paul was appointed to proclaim the message of God's grace to others. 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 to, "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. And it is our greatest joy.

So think of people in your life who need to come to a knowledge of the truth, who need to hear what God has done for them. And pray for them. Pray that God would open the eyes of their hearts and bring them into his kingdom. But don't stop there. Don't just talk to God about them. Also talk to them about God.

Think of ways you could bring up your faith in your conversations. Maybe answer the question, "How are you today?" with "God has blessed me so much!" instead of just, "Good." Think of ways you can invite your friends and co-workers to hear more about their Savior. Use the blessings God's given you not just for your enjoyment, but for that more noble mission of sharing the truth of God's grace. Open your home to them, or your boat, or your cabin. Share a meal with them and pray out loud before the meal. Take a copy of meditations to them and continue to give your generous offerings so we can afford to buy more copies. And as you do these things, you won't just be praying, "Your kingdom come," you'll be working to have God answer your prayer through you.

Yes, God wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. He wants his Kingdom to come and he wants everyone in it! So in love for all people he gave us Christ, our mediator, our great go-between, who rescued us from hell by his death on the cross. Who gives us the proof by his resurrection. And by grace, the Holy Spirit has 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 do all we can to help bring them into God's Kingdom. 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

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, September 12, 2016

God’s Glory is Clearly Revealed (A sermon based on Psalm 19)

How do we know about God? Well, for starters there is indisputable evidence in the world around us. We learn of his power, of his might, of his wisdom, and something of his kindness, just by creation and by studying nature around us. But this information isn't enough. By nature we could never know what God has done for us to rescue us from our own sin, from death, and from hell. So we thank God for the special revelation of his Word. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Psalm 19 and rejoice that not only is God's glory clearly revealed in nature, but even more that his grace is revealed in his Word...

God's Glory is Clearly Revealed

A sermon based on Psalm 19

Sunday, September 4, 2016

 

When some people are in pain, hurting and suffering, whether physically or emotionally, some deny the existence of God. They reason that if there really were an all-powerful God of perfect love, he would never allow anyone to suffer. If they're suffering, then there must not be an all-powerful perfectly loving god like the Bible describes.

But it's not that easy. That conclusion just doesn't work because God won't let us off that easily. He storms into our lives with countless proofs of his existence. The created world all around us demands we reconsider the idea of no god.

So there must be some other solution to the dilemma of an all powerful God who let's us suffer. Well, perhaps he's not so loving after all? Well, we can't find the answer these questions in nature. We can only find a solution to the dilemma in the Bible, the revealed Word of God. There, God displays the glory of his grace given us in Christ. There he reveals the greater suffering that he's already saved us from.

While most of the Psalms surrounding Psalm 19 are prayers for deliverance from the suffering or persecution that King David faced, this Psalm offers an interlude of praise that momentarily sets aside his suffering and directs our attention to the glory of God.

As we examine the Psalm of the day this morning, we see God clearly display his glory to us. In God's creation we see his awesome power. In God's Word we see his amazing grace. Listen now to Psalm 19…

 

1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, 5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. 6 It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. 11 By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

 

I.        In God's Creation We See His Power

 

Many people today want to use science to remove God from the equation of the problem of suffering and pain, but it doesn't really work. The evidence of an all powerful God remains incredibly convincing. Just look at nature around you. King David writes, "1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." And he uses the sun and the stars as the perfect example.

Rather than remove God from the picture, science really emphasizes how glorious our God is. Today, thanks to modern science, we have a much clearer picture than David did of how powerful and large stars really are. Did you know (and this is not an exaggeration) that the volume of our sun is over a million times the size of the earth? Did you know that every second it produces as much energy as hundreds of billions of atomic bombs, like the one dropped on Hiroshima?


Even without science, the beauty and majesty we see in nature remain just as convincing! Who isn't awed by the brilliant colors of a glorious sunset? And look at the magnificence of the natural world: The Empire State Building looks like a toy beside the cathedral spires of Zion National Park. The Panama Canal is but a scratch in the surface compared with the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. And no artist or picture can fully capture the same beauty of a sunsets that that you see when you're there in person.

Look at the stars! Just think that as big and powerful as our sin is, it's a dwarf compared to most of the stars in our solar system! And the closest one to us is still more than 4 light years away! That means it could have burned out three years ago and we wouldn't know it for another year! It's light would still be traveling to us for that long! And as awesome as the stars are, they're relatively simple in their structure, compared to you.

Just look at the complexity of the human body! Our digestive systems extract nutrients from food. Our skins help to regulate body temperature by perspiring. The pupils of our eyes expand and contract in response to light. Even when we get sick, our bodies have built-in defenses mechanisms to fight the illness and self-repair. And all these things happen while we're usually unaware of them!

And all of these pieces of evidence for the existence of God are found everywhere. They're universal. There's no place where they can't be found. "3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." And there's no time or era that they can't be found. "2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge."

Transcending space and time, nature has always given the proof of an all-powerful God. To assume that they were all caused by a random collision of atoms is an absurdity. There must be a god. And as big and awesome as the sun, the stars, the nature that surrounds us all is, the God who put it here, must be even bigger and more powerful than them all.


There is no excuse for atheism. No excuse for denying the existence of God just to avoid the problem of suffering. As Paul wrote in Romans 1, "…what may be known about God is plain… because God has made it plain… 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:19-20) Only the fool says in his heart there is no god. (Psalm 14:1)

As the Aztec king, Nezahualcoyotl, (nez-uh-hoo-uh-coy-a-til) said in the 1400's "The gods that I am adoring, what are they but idols of stone without speech or feeling? They could not have made the beauty of the heaven, the sun, the moon, the stars, which light the earth, with its countless streams, its foundations and waters… There must be some God, invisible and unknown, who is the universal Creator."

But, that's all that nature could tell the Aztec king. It couldn't tell him enough. As awesome as nature is, as clearly as it reveals that there is a god, it can never tell us who this real God is. While it's obvious the god of creation is a powerful god, nature can never reveal God the redeemer, the God of grace. That's why we need another source—one other than nature—to solve the problem of pain and suffering in our lives. That's why we need the special revelation of God's grace given to us in his Word…

 

II.      In God's Word We See His Grace

 

David continued his Psalm praising God for revealing his glory in that special way, "7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.

God's Word is perfect, trustworthy and radiant. It gives joy to our hearts and light to our eyes because it reveals to us what nature can't. It revives our souls and brings spiritual refreshment. How? Through law and gospel…

Right after David praises the law, the statutes, the precepts and commands of God, he must admit he doesn't do a very good job of keeping that law. He prays to God, "12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults."

And we know that we must pray the same prayer. We sin so much that we don't even know all our sins. They're not only hidden from other people, those sins of our thoughts and minds—our lust and our greed—but many of our sins are hidden from us as well. Even with the law serving as a mirror to show me my sinful condition, I still don't know how many times I sin in a day. I don't think I want to know.

And thankfully, by God's grace, I don't have to. God doesn't demand that I recall every sin I've committed and report them to a pastor like he's some kind of parole officer. God knows my sins better than I ever will. And by his grace he leads me to pray, "12 Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults."

And when we do pray for that forgiveness, we can be assured that we will receive the forgiveness we seek. "I [will] be blameless, innocent of great transgression." You see, the Gospel not only motivates my repentance, but it also answers me with complete assurance of forgiveness in Jesus. By his death on the cross, I know that my sins are forgiven and that one day soon I will receive a great reward in heaven.

And by that truth I am revived and completely turned around now. Once hurting and suffering, ready to deny God and die in my despair, I can now rejoice in the grace of my Savior even while I face suffering and pain. Nothing can rob us of the joy we find in God's Word.

Delight in that Word of God that reveals his grace because we can't find that comfort anywhere else. That's why David said, "[God's Word is]  more precious than gold, than much pure gold…sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb." Gold and all it can buy will eventually lose its luster, spoil and fade. Honey while sweet to the tongue can't maintain the pleasure it brings once you eat it.


Jesus once said, "19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal." (Matthew 6:19-20)

What will matter 100 years from now? That you had a nice car or a bigger home? That you had the best education or the most trophies on your shelf? Or will it matter most that you had a strong faith in your Savior? That your eternity with him is secure? We have the latter only in the Word—that's why it's more precious than anything else—than money or gold, than the food that we eat, than the sun itself on which we so depend.

Dear friends, treat that Word of God as precious as it really is. Take it to heart and even rejoice in the pain and suffering God sends to drive you back into the Word as he leads you to depend on him even more. Learn that word. Treasure it. Gladly sacrifice one hour of sleep on Sunday mornings to come to Bible class. Watch 10 less minutes of TV at night to read a devotion.

Is your Bible all to you that God wants it to be? Pray to God for forgiveness for your hidden faults—for the times you've failed to treasure his Word without even knowing it. Trust in the forgiveness you have in Christ and pray for strength to treasure his Word and live according to it.

Pray along with King David who asked God,"13 Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer."

And as you live a life of service to God, he will use even your pain to reveal his glory. He will reveal his glory to others as you grow in your faith and let your light shine, as you rejoice even when you are suffering. For your pain might give you opportunity to share with them what they can never learn from nature—that God doesn't just display his awesome power in his creation, but he reveals his amazing grace in Jesus Christ through his Word. God's blessings to you in your suffering as God's glory is clearly revealed through you. Amen. 


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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