Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Time to Get Ready! (A sermon based on Genesis 6:1-3, 5-14, 17-22)

How long does it take you to get ready? Well, it depends, doesn't it? It depends on what you're getting ready for. It takes a little longer to get ready for retirement than it does to get ready for dinner and a movie. It may have taken Noah up to 100 years to get ready for the flood that cleansed the earth! Good thing he got started right away! How long do we have to get ready for Judgment Day? I don't know. No one but God does. But I do know this: Now is the time to get ready before it's too late. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Genesis 6 and get ready! 

​Time to Get Ready!
A sermon based on Genesis 6:1-3, 5-14, 17-22
Sunday, November 26, 2017 – Advent 1B

Let's start today with puzzle, a pop quiz of sorts. Here's the scenario: A husband and wife are going on a date. They have reservations at the restaurant for 7pm. The restaurant is 10 minutes from their home.

Question: What time does the husband need to start getting ready to be there on time? The answer: 6:30pm. From 6:30 to 6:40 he showers and shaves. From 6:40 to 6:45 he gets dressed and puts on his finest cologne. From 6:45 to 6:47 he grabs his wallet and keys and heads to the car to drive to the restaurant. Since it takes 10 minutes to get there that still leaves 3 minutes to park and walk to the front door to arrive right on time at 7pm. Good, right?

Okay, so, reservations are still at 7pm. The restaurant is still 10 minutes away from home. Next question: What time does the wife need to start getting ready in order to make it to the restaurant on time? … Trick question! She could start at 4pm, 3pm, or even 2pm and she will still not be ready on time.

Okay… I'm just kidding ladies. And I know some of you are saying that I got it backwards; he's the one always running late. But the point is this: How long does it take you to get ready?

I guess the answer depends on "ready for what?" It might take longer to get ready for a date at a nice restaurant than it might to go pick up a pizza because you don't feel like cooking. How long does it take you to get ready… for Christmas? We're less than a month away! How long does it take you to get ready… for company to come over? Do you need to vacuum or could you get by without? How long does it take you to get ready… to pay your taxes? Do you need long forms or will the short forms suffice? Do you take them in or do you do them yourself?

But those things all have a known deadline. It gets harder when the target date is unknown. How long does it take you to get ready… for retirement? 40 years? How long does it take you to get ready… for the next big earthquake? When will it hit? And what does that all entail? How long does it take you to get ready… for Judgment Day?

I don't know how much time we have to get ready for that day. But I do know this. Now is the time to get ready. In our sermon text for this morning, we hear about Noah getting ready for that first Judgment Day: that day that God judged the world to wicked and vile to continue. So he decided to scrub it clean. But he first told Noah to get ready. Our text for consideration this morning is from Genesis 6 (select verses)… 

When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years." … 

5 The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

9 This is the account of Noah.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out…  

17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them."

22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him. 

How long did it take him to get ready? Well, it could have been almost 100 years! In Genesis 5 we're told that he was 500 years old before he had his three sons. And in Genesis 6 we're told that they helped him to build the ark before the floodwaters came when Noah was 600 years old. So it could have been 100 years of prep and we have no indication that God ever gave him a timeline for when the flood would come. He just told him, "Get ready. Because a flood is coming."

Can you imagine the task he had? Build a boat big enough to hold two of every living creature. And.. no power tools! And can you imagine the ridicule he received from his neighbors?! He's building a cruise ship in a place where there was likely no water in sight! What for? What a crackpot! He was wasting all his time, all his money, all his energy, on a wooden boat that would barely get wet!

And nevertheless, verse 22 says,  "Noah did everything just as God commanded him."  He got to work and he got ready while he still had time to get ready. Later, when "all the springs of the great deep burst forth, and the floodgates of the heavens were opened," (Genesis 7:11) would be too late. 

How about us though? We too are facing our own Judgment Day, aren't we? Yes, God promised that he would never again destroy the world by a flood. (Genesis 9:11) But he's also promised that he will destroy the world by fire. And he's given us no timeline for when the fire will come. "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare." (1 Peter 3:10) And he tells us that right now is the time to get ready: "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. [So…] Be on guard! Be alert! …keep watch… do not let him find you sleeping… Watch!"

How much time does it take to get ready for Judgement Day? I don't know. That's why we'd all best start today and not put it off any more. Can you imagine if Noah, put off building the ark for 30 or 40 years until the plans were just right or he could rally enough support to help him? What would happen if the flood waters came and he didn't have the ark done? The results would have been disastrous.

Likewise we should learn from the fable of the ant and the grasshopper. While the ant worked hard in the summer to store up food for the winter, the grasshopper played all summer long. But when winter came, it was too late. There was no food to be found and the grasshopper starved to death. Now is the time to get ready for Judgment Day, dear friends. Now is the time to prepare… before it's too late.

Ah… but we get so easily distracted, don't we? We have our parties to plan and gifts to buy, then gifts to open and play with or return. We have family feuds and futile fights over things that just won't matter in less than 100 years from now. And distracted by all the shiny trinkets that draw our attention away from where it should be, we fail to prepare. And we deserve to be caught off guard.

Don't get ready for the date in time and you might lose your reservation. Don't prepare your taxes on time and pay the fines and penalties. Don't prep for the earthquake and you might struggle to survive off grid. Don't prepare for Judgment Day… and lose your reservation in heaven, pay the eternal penalty of hell, die forever separated from God and his love. … And for failing to prepare for that day when the world is destroyed by fire, we deserve all of that. We deserve to be eternally destroyed by fire ourselves.

Thank God then that we're not ready for Judgment Day because of how much effort and forethought we put into our doomsday prepping. But rather, we are prepared—totally ready!—for that day to come because God has made us ready.

Do you know the proper term for what the school kids here call the "Big Room"? You can call it the sanctuary, that is the room set apart for a holy and special purpose. But church architects have called this room the nave.  It comes from the Latin word for ship: Navis. (We get our word Navy from it.) Church designers have called it this because the main room in the church resembles a ship, where all the rowers sit on benches facing the same direction, working together.

But there's another similarity between our church and a big boat: It saves us, just as the ark saved Noah and his family. Now that's not to say that you must be a member of our church or any church if you want to be saved. But in the church where the Word of God is faithfully taught, where the sacraments are faithfully administered, souls are prepared for the Day of God's wrath. And all who are in the Church (with a capital "C," that is, all who believe in Jesus as their Savior) will be lifted out of the chaos before the world is destroyed by fire.

And here in church and in the Word, we hear how it can be said of us as it was of Noah: "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord... Noah was a righteous man… and he walked with God." For here in the Word we hear of Jesus our Savior who found favor with God. (cf. Luke 2:52) And we hear how he gave up that favor to be abandoned by his Father on the cross to pay for our sin. (cf. Matthew 27:46) We hear how we have been made righteous, not by our works or efforts, but by God's grace, declaring us to be righteous for Jesus' sake. (cf. Romans 3:21-28)

And here, at the font, we have been saved by water just as Noah was. We typically think of the flood as being just destructive, that is, it wiped out all the evil and scrubbed the world clean (which it, of course, did). But the flood is also salvific. That's a fancy word to say it saved. The water lifted Noah and his family out of the corruption, out of the evil, out of the judgment. And that's what the water of baptism does for us too: Connecting us to Jesus' work by giving us faith to trust his promises, it lifts us up above the destruction that will come by fire on Judgment Day.

So Peter wrote, "[The water of Noah's flood] symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ…"

So you and I, dear friends, have found favor with God, just as Noah did. We are righteous in his sight, just like Noah was. We walk with God now and will walk with him face to face in heaven! Because God has made us ready for that day when he returns or calls us home. So we are prepared for Judgement Day. We're ready to go!

So what do we do with our time while we wait? Well, we keep building. We do everything just as God commands us. We continue to grow in our faith by the Word. We keep a constant vigil. And we do all we can to rescue others. We're like the Coast Guard, going out to rescue those lost in a sea of guilt and despair. We do what we can to bring them into the boat with us, so they too will be ready for that Last Day. For them, like for us, now is the time to get ready!

Even if you're habitually late for dinner, never have the house cleaned before company arrives, have to pay a few penalties for getting your taxes in late, and have to eat Alpo in your retirement… well, thanks to Jesus, you are ready for Judgment Day. Now let's help others get ready too. 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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Monday, November 20, 2017

Come Sing to the King! (A sermon based on Revelation 1:4b-8)

Jesus is coming soon! And when he does, we will all sing! Those who have rejected him will sing a song of lament and mourning. But we, who by his grace believe in what he's done for us in freeing us from our sins by his blood, will sing a song of praise when he comes to rescue us! Now, while wait for him, we can be priests and faithful witnesses, inviting others to hear of Christ our King! Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Revelation 1:4b-8 and rejoice in Christ the King! 

​Come Sing to the King!
A sermon based on Revelation 1:4b-8
Sunday, November 19, 2017 

"Come join the choir!" Angie pleads. "The more the merrier!" she declares, "It doesn't matter how well you sing!"

"Yeah, right," I've heard some of you respond, "Angie only says that because he hasn't heard me sing. You know that guy that Simon Cowell made cry on American Idol? Well, compared to me, he's goooood!"

Now whether you love to sing in public, or only in the shower or in the car where no one else can hear you, or if you don't like to sing at all, the truth is that everyone will sing a song about Jesus at some point in their existence. That's a bold claim, I know. But it's true. When Jesus is revealed as King of the Universe every person who has ever lived or ever will live will sing one of two songs. They will either sing a song of praise and thanks to Jesus (and whether they're on key or not won't matter) or they'll sing a song of mourning and woe as they lament his coming.

That's what the apostle John tells us in our portion of God's Word for consideration this morning. We will sing to the King! But let's be sure to sing to him a song of praise and thanks. And we have every reason to, because he was pierced for us, and because he will come for us. Listen now to John's encouragement in Revelation 1...

Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne,  5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood,  6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.  7 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.  So shall it be! Amen. 8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

 

I. Because He Was Pierced for You

 

When Jesus returns to this earth, there is no doubt, we will know it. Every person will know that Jesus is here. "Every eye will see him," John writes, "even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth" that is, everyone who's chosen to live for themselves, all those who have been apathetic to Jesus, all who by their sins have nailed Jesus to the cross, well, they "will mourn because of him."

Literally, the word translated "mourn" here means to sing the songs of public grief and pain, like a dirge or a lament sung at a funeral. Why? Because at that time it will be clearly revealed that they have chosen to separate themselves from the one true King.They will have chosen to reject his kingdom and will therefore be left out of that kingdom for all of eternity. Those who chose to live without Jesus here on earth, whether by hostility or by apathy, will live without him in hell. What a sad, desperate, and pitiful song that will be!

 And who will sing this sad, sad song? Those who have pierced him. Those who choose to live without him. Well, thank God that's not me, right? Wrong! I have chosen to live without Jesus every time I've put my desires above his and told him, "Jesus, please leave the room right now. I don't think you'd appreciate what I'm about to do... or say... or think." Jesus was the "faithful witness" who spoke the truth no matter what. What a contrast to my witness… or, too often, lack thereof, because I'm afraid of what people will do, or sometimes just what they'll think. Jesus is the King. But all too often I've rebelled and said, "No, Jesus, I think I'll be king of my life, thank you." And by my actions, by my words, by my thoughts I have pierced Jesus. I put him on that cross. I nailed him there. After all it was for my sins that he went there… and for yours. You put him there too.

How I deserve to sing the most pathetic wailing song of terror when he comes! Maybe it would be called, "O What Great Woe is Me! The King I Pierced I See!!" How you deserve to sing a song of mourning. Maybe it would be entitled, "The King is Near; My Doom is Here." I don't know if it's true, but I once heard that the inventor of the bagpipe was inspired by a man carrying a squealing pig under his arm. What a beautiful sound that must be compared to the sound of the hell that we deserve, as Jesus described it in Matthew 13(:42). He said of hell, "there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

That's what we deserve. But instead, we'll sing a very, very different song! Most scholars believe that the second half of verse 5 was an ancient doxology, that is, a song of praise, which early Christians sang in their liturgy. "To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen."

How is it that we – horrendous sinners that we are – will be able to sing a song of praise at Jesus' return instead of a song of mourning? Well, the first line of the song itself tells us. He loves us. How much? So much that "has freed us from our sins by his blood."

Back in 2009, an ecstatic Fernando Bermudez left Sing Sing prison amid a flock of reporters. It turned out that new evidence that had just surfaced proved his innocence of the crime for which he was imprisoned. He clearly did not kill the man he was sentenced for killing. So he was finally released to be reunited with his wife and three children after spending seventeen years in prison for a crime that everyone now agreed he didn't commit. Can you imagine the joy he felt? I wouldn't be surprised if he even burst into song!

But you and I, dear friends, have been freed from a far worse prison that held us for the crimes we did commit. We were prisoners of hell, once chained to our torment by every sin that earned the punishment we deserve. But Jesus took every one of those sins on himself. And though we are the very ones who pierced him, he was pierced for us. As Isaiah wrote in Isaiah 53(:5) "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." He paid the penalty we owed when he endured hell itself and shed his blood on the cross. And by his blood, he cut the chains that held us captive. He has freed us from our sins.

That's why John doesn't just wish "Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come," but states it as a fact, "Grace and peace [are yours] from him who is, and who was, and who is to come." You have peace. You have peace with God because of the grace that he's given in Jesus who died for you. Man, do we ever have reason to sing! "To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood... to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen."

And, what's more, Jesus didn't stay dead. He rose again. That's why John called him, "the firstborn from the dead." Jesus lives! And he's coming back! He's coming back not to punish you, but to rescue you… from the financial stresses, from the physical aches and pains, from the emotional wounds you suffer and the scars you still feel, from all the burdens of this life. And if there was ever any reason to sing, besides the fact that he was pierced for us to free us from our sins by his blood, it's this: He's coming back to rescue us from all suffering and pain, to take us to be with him in heaven forever!

 

II. Because He Will Come for You

 

John wrote, "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." And yet, he ended that otherwise frightening line with an excited, "So shall it be! Amen." How come? Because John knew that when the Lord said he was, "the Alpha and the Omega… who is, and who was, and who is to come," that he was coming to rescue John. Because Jesus had freed John from his sins by his blood, John knew which side he was on.

Do you remember how God appeared to his people time and time again in the days of Moses? It was in the pillar of cloud. Exodus 33:9-10 say, "As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent." Perhaps John was making an allusion to this spectacular event when he recorded this preview of Jesus' glorious return: "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him..."

When the Israelites saw the pillar of cloud or the pillar of fire, they weren't terrified, but excited, moved to worship even in their homes, "each at the entrance to his tent." For even though the presence of the holy God of the universe was right there in their midst, they knew of his grace in promising to care for them, protect them, preserve them, and deliver them from their slavery, from their suffering, and from their sorrow.

When Jesus returns, again "with the clouds," we need not fear. For the "the ruler of the kings of the earth" is coming to take us to his Kingdom –the Kingdom of Heaven! This is our comfort, this is our joy, and this makes us sing for joy! "To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood… to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen."

And in the meantime, while we wait for him, what now? Well, he gives us work to do. In the middle of that doxology, that song of praise to the King, John reminds us that the one to whom sing, "has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father." We don't just sit idly by waiting for Jesus to come back to rescue us. Instead we get busy as his priests.

What does that mean, that Jesus has made us priests? Are we to sacrifice goats and bulls and sheep? No. Of course not. Paul tells us in Romans 12:1, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." We don't take a life as our sacrifice to God, but give our lives in service to him. We don't kill for God, but we live for him every day.

But where our job is much like that of the Old Testament priests is our task of sharing the message with others. We may not sing about Jesus as we walk down the streets, but we let our lives of selfless service to him and to others sing for us. And as we show others the impact of Jesus' love in our lives we will be "faithful witnesses" just like Jesus. And as we show how we're different, we'll have the opportunity to share the reason why; that it's because of our King! We can tell them that "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." But we can also tell them that they need not fear because he "has freed us from our sins by his blood" and he's freed them too.

Serve as faithful witnesses, dear friends. Serve as faithful priests. And keep on singing! Whether it's in the choir or not, whether it's on key or off, whether it's with your voice or with your life, sing to the King! And share the good news with others, that they too might come and sing to the King! Now, "To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! 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


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Thursday, November 16, 2017

Doomsday Story: Four Words (A sermon based on John 5:25-29)

Doomsday is near! Really it is! The last day of the world is coming soon. What will bring that day about? What will happen on that day? Are you ready for that day? How do you get ready and stay ready? All of those questions can be answered with just four words. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on John 5:25-29 and get ready for that day! 

Doomsday Story: Four Words

A sermon based on John 5:25-29

Sunday, November 12, 2017 – Last Judgment Sunday

 

So, most of the time I view Facebook as a vortex of wasting time that sucks me in and robs me of any productive work for 15 to 30 minutes at a time. But… every now and then, it offers me a good sermon illustration. I think that may be the case today. A Facebook post gave me my theme. But I'll let you be the judge of whether it's a good one.

As I was surfing Facebook this week I ran across a random post that offered this simple challenge: Describe a doomsday scenario, an end of the world scene, in just four words. And the comments that followed were what made the post entertaining to me.

Most comments were political. They were things like, "Global Warming Is Real," or "Hillary Clinton Elected President," or, in reply to that, "Donald Trump is Re-Elected." But some of them were kind of funny. "No! Don't touch that!" "What's this button do?" "Oops. That's my bad." In the words of Steve Urkel, "Did I do that?" or my favorite, "See, I told you!" (I'm not sure who told what to whom, but I picture a husband and wife conversation on that scenario that ended the world.) :)

But then one Christian took political and comedic comments to a new level when he shared his Doomsday Story in four words: "Jesus Christ Has Returned!" And I thought, "I'm not sure if this post coincides with Last Judgment Sunday on purpose or if it's just coincidental, but either way… I like this game." So for Last Judgment Sunday, I'm going to try my hand at "Doomsday Story: Four Words."

Our text for consideration this morning is Jesus' words recorded for us in John 5:25-29…

 

25 I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

So, what four words would you use to describe Judgment Day? Don't answer out loud right now, but if you have a good "Doomsday Story: Four Words," tell me later, text me, or email me. Or, if you want, wait until I post this sermon on Facebook and then leave your reply there for everyone to see.

I thought about it and have a few "Domesday Story: Four Words" descriptions that I think work well. For starters, I'm just steal that Facebook poster's: "Jesus Christ Has Returned!" That post really does describe the event that will bring about "Doomsday." The end of the world won't come about as the result of some election—no matter how terrible you think that leader might be. It won't be caused by someone accidently hitting the wrong button and starting a nuclear war. It won't happen by a zombie apocalypse or some horrific disease. The end of the world will happen on the day that Jesus comes back to earth.

And that day will be obvious to everyone. No one will be left behind. No one will be left wondering if today is the day. Every person will immediately know, "Jesus Christ Has Returned!" In fact, even those who have already died will know it. Because what's going to happen when he does?

"Doomsday Story: Four Words:" "The Dead Will Live." Judgment Day will literally be the night of the living dead (or maybe the day of the living dead – I guess it depends on when Jesus returns and what time zone you're in at the time). But either way, Jesus makes it clear that, "a time is coming… when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live… a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out…"

It won't matter if they're buried 6 feet under or 60 feet under. It won't matter if they've been cremated and their ashes are scattered across 4 continents. The God who spoke the universe into existence will speak again and at the sound of his powerful voice all people who have ever lived will come back to life.  "The Dead Will Live." What then?

Well, we don't call it Judgment Day or Last Judgment Sunday for nothing! "Doomsday Story: Four Words:" "All Are Judged Eternally." Whether alive or dead all people who have ever lived from Adam on will face a day of reckoning. Jesus said, "The Father… has given him…" (that is, "the Son of God," that is, Jesus) "authority to judge because he is the Son of Man." Every person will have their day in court, a day where they will be judged on the basis of their behavior: "those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned."

So, how have you behaved? Have you always done good? Note, Jesus doesn't say, "those who have kept from doing terrible, vicious, cruel acts against humanity will rise to live." He doesn't say, "Those who have avoided really bad sins will rise to live." He says, "those who have done good will rise to live…" Have you done good? All the time? Every day?

Likewise, Jesus doesn't say, "Those who have murdered, raped, and done time in prison will rise to be condemned." He doesn't say, "Those who have made a complete mess of their lives, those who have tried to lead others into sin, or those who have been a leach to society will rise to be condemned." No. He says, "those who have done evil will rise to be condemned." Have you done evil? Ever? Even once? And remember "evil" is anything contrary to God's will.

And you know what those who do evil (even if just once) and who have failed to do good (even just once) rightly deserve: We just confessed it in our liturgy: "[We] deserve only his wrath and punishment." As we stand before the judgment seat of God we deserve to hear that gavel pound down with the declaration, "I find the defendant… guilty." And, "those who have done evil will rise to be condemned."

So here's another "Doomsday Story: Four Words:" "Sinners Are Doomed Forever." That's why they call it Doomsday. But the doom really is terrible. It could just as well be, "Sinners Are Damned Forever." For that's the eternal doom of all who do evil and all who fail to do good: "those who have done evil will rise to be condemned." "What a terrible fate!" "That's what we deserve!"

But… you know we won't get what we deserve, thanks be to God! In fact, that should be our next  "Doomsday Story: Four Words:" "Thanks Be to God." Jesus said, "a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live." What did he mean by "and has now come"? Well, surely he was alluding to the resurrection of the widow's son at Nain, to the daughter of Jairus, and to Lazarus (which we heard about last week). But I think he meant more. I don't think Jesus was referring to just physical resurrection, but to a spiritual one. In John 5:24, the verse immediately preceding our text, he said this: "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life."

Jesus came to earth to become a man with the sole intent of defeating death, along with satan and hell. And that's exactly what he did. He lived a sinless life in our place. And by his life he defeated sin. He died an innocent death to pay the penalty of our sins. And by his death he defeated satan. On the third day, he rose from the dead. And by his resurrection he defeated death.

Now, you and I, who hear his word and believe in him, are forgiven of every sin. We have eternal life right now. So even though, "Sinners Are Doomed Forever," through faith in Jesus our sins are removed. God doesn't see us as sinners anymore, but as perfect, sinless saints, who have never done evil and have always done what is right and good. So Jesus, declaration that, "those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned," is no longer a terrifying thought, but a wonderful one. We are forgiven! No evil remains! God sees only the good that we do! So we will rise to live!

So here's another "Doomsday Story: Four Words:" "Believers Will Live Forever." And again, "Thanks Be to God." Instead of dreading that day as a day of doom, we eagerly anticipate it as the day of our rescue, the day of our victory, the day that our eternal celebration begins!

So what now? What do we do while we wait? "Doomsday Story: Four Words:" "Make Sure You're Ready" The difference between being ready or not is the difference between rising to live and rising to be condemned. So, to be honest, it's way more important than your retirement investment, your building project, your hunting trip or your shopping trip. Being ready for Judgment Day is way more important that your job, your hobbies, your relationship with your parents, your spouse, or your kids. It is—no exaggeration—the most important thing in your life because nothing else will matter at all 100 years from now. I promise.

So how do we stay ready? Jesus tells us: "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life… and those who hear will live." So "Doomsday Story: Four Words:" "Listen to His Voice!" Stay in the Word. Read your Bible daily. Come to worship. Come to Bible Class. Watch a Bible class online instead of one Netflix show. Grow in your faith by hearing his Word. And stay ready for "doomsday" by growing in your faith.

For make no mistake: That day is coming: that day when the cry goes out, "Jesus Christ Has Returned!" And when that day comes, all who have ever died will come back to life: "The Dead Will Live." And having been resurrected, every person who ever lived will give answer to God at the trial that will determine their eternity: "All Are Judged Eternally." Though we know we deserve to be among those of whom it's said, "Sinners Are Damned Forever," "Thanks Be to God," that won't be us! Through faith in Jesus, "Believers Will Live Forever." Now, "Make Sure You're Ready" and "Listen to His Voice!" In Jesus' name, dear friends, and by his work for us, that's our "Doomsday Story: Four Words." 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

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Wednesday, November 8, 2017

We Triumph in Jesus After the Pain (A sermon based on John 11:32-44)

Why does God let us go through such pain? Why make us endure the pain of the death of someone we love? God has his good purposes. But he gives us the promise that we will triumph with him after the pain. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on John 11:32-44 and rejoice in the victory we have through Christ after the pain we endure...

We Triumph in Jesus After the Pain

A sermon based on John 11:32-44

Sunday, November 5th, 2017

 

She only knew him for a few months. He was sick from day that she met him and all the doctors said that he didn't have long to live. Even though she only knew him for four months, the impact he had on her… well, she would never be the same. And the day that he died, the pain she felt was almost overwhelming. In her own words, she described the pain as "that deep, deep pain that groans inside you."

This poor mother lost her four month old son. When he was born, he looked like he was taking a peaceful nap. But doctors said he wouldn't wake up. He held on to life for a few months in the neonatal intensive care unit, but when he died that poor mom felt "that deep, deep pain that groans inside you."

And she questioned, "why?" Why would God take her son? Couldn't God have prevented this? Of course he could! Surely the God of miracles could have easily rescued her son, restored his health, and let him grow up to live a normal life loved deeply by his mother. But he didn't! Why not?! Why would he let her endure this "deep, deep pain that groans inside you"?

Those were the very questions Mary and Martha were asking when their dearly loved brother, Lazarus, passed away. Neither woman was married, so they found in their brother their provider, their companion, and their dearest friend. As soon as he got sick they sent word to Jesus. But he didn't come… not right away. He waited for two whole days before he even left to see Lazarus. And it seems that he took his sweet time getting there too—precious time that could have made all the difference! But when he finally arrived six days later it was too late. Lazarus had already been dead for four days.

And it left the sisters questioning, "why?" Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died." (John 11:21) And Mary echoed her, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." (John 11:32) "Why, Jesus, did you let this happen?"

And for that matter, why does God allow our loved ones to die? Surely he could stop it! So why does he let you go through the hurt he makes you endure? Why does he let you feel that "deep, deep pain that groans inside you"? This morning, this Saints Triumphant Sunday, we'll let Jesus answer those tough questions and seek to put our trust in him who makes us triumph after the pain. Our text for consideration this morning is taken from John 11:32-44…

 

32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 "Where have you laid him?" he asked.

"Come and see, Lord," they replied.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"

37 But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 "Take away the stone," he said.

"But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."

40 Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

 

Jesus predicted this would happen. When some Jews got so upset with him that he dared to heal a man on the Sabbath Day that they wanted to kill him, Jesus gave them the proof that he had authority to do whatever he wanted. He said in John 5:25, "I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live."

And now, he did it. Lazarus had been dead for four days! He'd been gone long enough that his body was already decomposing and the stink of death would be so overwhelming that Martha was ready to deny Jesus' request to see the body. Why exhume her brother? Let his body rest in peace! But Jesus insisted. He wanted the stone removed from the tomb so all could see (and smell) how dead Lazarus was to remove any doubts about what he was about to do. This was no trick, no switcheroo. "Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" [And] the dead man came out…"

Well that's great! Great for Mary and Martha, right? They got a happy ending to their sad, sad story. But what about us?! To my knowledge, Jesus has never brought any of our loved ones back from the dead! He hasn't raised our parents or grandparents, our spouses, our children! And we might question, "Why not do this for us, Jesus?!"

"Are you unable to prevent our pain, Jesus? Of course not! You opened the eyes of the blind man! You raised Lazarus back to life! Of course you could have prevented the death of those we love! Even now you could call them back to life! You could so easily end 'that deep, deep pain that groans inside [us]'! But you don't."

And that leads to more difficult questions: If you could stop, my hurt, Jesus, but don't then you must be unwilling. So why won't you? Don't you care? Are you too busy elsewhere? Am I not important enough? Do you really love me?"

 

Ah, friends, how quickly we forget the real cause of suffering and pain in this life. It's not God who brought death into the world. It's not God who brought ruin and misery and pain. It was Adam. It was Eve. It was all of mankind in their sin. It was you. It was me. We bring death and destruction to this world by our rebellion against God. We bring sorrow and pain to God when we sin against him. Death isn't a part of God's original creation. It's a consequence for sin. And it's one we will all face (unless Jesus returns first). "For the wages of sin is death…" (Romans 6:23) That's why we feel "that deep, deep pain that groans inside [us]" – because we sin.

And for doubting God's love for us when we're hurting, for thinking he, who has done nothing but love us, to be the villain because he doesn't stop every ache or pain in this life, for every selfish attitude and self-righteous thought that supposes we could rule the universe better than God, we ought to feel so much more pain and agony, coupled with remorse and eternal regret, forever in hell.

 

But God does love us. He loves us so much that when he thought of the eternal death we were all headed to, "he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled…" Just as Jesus wept at the death of his friend, Lazarus, so too, the thought of your death in hell and of mine made Jesus cry. And his weeping was not the loud sobs of mourners, sometimes hired to perform at a funeral. No. It's a different Greek word than the one used of Mary and her companions. It's the silent cry as the tears stream down the face. It's a genuine, heartfelt cry meant not for show, but for release of the emotion felt in the heart. Verse 35 is the shortest verse in the Bible, but it says so much in those two short words: "Jesus wept."

Homer wrote in his Iliad, "The gods ordain the lot of man to suffer, while themselves are free from care." But that's clearly not the God of the Bible. "See how he loved [you]!"

For just as with Lazarus, Jesus' tears shed for you and me, didn't end there, with just an expression of pity and sympathy. He took action to undo the terrible thing that no one else could undo. He went to defeat sin and death once and for all. And to defeat death, he had to die. So he took all of our sin on himself—every time we've doubted God and his love for us, every time we've accused him of doing wrong, every time we've rebelled against him thinking our ways were better than his ways. And he took all of that sin to the cross. There he felt a "deep, deep pain that groan[ed] inside [him]." There "he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled…" There he felt a pain so terrible we could never even begin to imagine it—the guilt, the shame, the regret for every sin ever committed… the hell of being separated from the Father.

And by that act, Jesus defeated sin. He took it all away. And by his resurrection three days later, Jesus defeated death. Today is Saints Triumphant Sunday. And today we celebrate that victory that our loved ones who died in the faith enjoy right now! And we look forward to the day of our death, when we join them—and even better still: when we join Jesus!—forever in heaven! And we know that heaven is ours because of what Jesus has done for us.

 "I tell you the truth," Jesus said, "a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live." Now, the spiritually dead come to life when they hear the message of his grace and believe. And one day soon he will call out in a loud voice again. And all who are physically dead will hear his voice and live. Jesus said in John 5:28-29, "A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned." We, who listen to his voice now in the Word, and believe in his promises, will hear his voice with our own ears and rise to live with him in heaven.

But that still doesn't really answer the question, does it? Why does God allow the hurt and pain, "that deep, deep pain that groans inside you" right now? Couldn't he just bring us to faith and then whisk us away to heaven the second that we do? Well, I promised that I would let Jesus answer that question for us…

When Jesus first heard the news of Lazarus' sickness, he told the messenger, "This sickness will not end in death." And he went on to explain why this suffering and pain had to happen anyway: "No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." And he repeated it again to Martha: "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" But really, Jesus explains it best in the prayer he said to the Father. He said this was all, "for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

 

Think of the deep impact the resurrection of Lazarus must have had on everyone who was there that day. There was no denying that Jesus was God! Think of a what great evangelists Mary and Martha must have been, not to mention Lazarus! Think of how many more souls are in heaven right now because Lazarus died and came back to life! I'll bet that to Mary and Martha, the pain was all worth it now.

And you and I will endure problems. We will experience pain. And even though Jesus hasn't resurrected our loved ones yet, he will. And he will resurrect us (if we die before Judgment Day). But in the meantime, the pain we go through now helps us to share our faith, each in our own way. As Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 1(:3-4), "Praise be to… the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."

The mother who lost her four-month-old son said she felt "that deep, deep pain that groans inside you" and I'm sure she did. But immediately after she said that, she added, "How deeply God carved His work of love into our hearts through that little life! What a powerful life it was!" This family's precious little boy taught them and those around them to depend on God for everything—especially when things go horribly wrong!

The hard yet comforting truth is that God meets us in our pain. And he feels our pain. When Lazarus died, Jesus wept. And through that death he brought others to faith. Through Lazarus' death, God brought others to life. "What a powerful life it was!" When God saw us destined for hell in our sin, he too wept. "He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled…" And he was so moved that he sent his Son to die for us. God knows the grief of losing a Son. But through his death, God brought us to life. "What a powerful life it was!"

And now it's not just Mary and Martha who get a happy ending to their sad, sad story. We'll get one too. The happy ending to our sad story is yet to come. But one day soon we will join the saints triumphant and will triumph in glory with our Savior. In the meantime, let's share his love with others. And let's see how God works through our pain to bring others to faith and to bring a happy ending in heaven to their stor too. For Jesus' sake and 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

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No Fear! (A sermon based on Psalm 46)

What things do you fear? The future of our nation and the economy? The future of your health? The future of your relationship with someone? We have nothing to fear, friends, because we know that God is our refuge from sin, death, and hell. And God is still with us as our refuge in the earthly troubles we go through. If he loves us enough to send his Son to die for our sin, he surely loves us enough to take care of us through the problem we face in this life. In celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation, read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Psalm 46 (the Psalm on which Luther based his hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God) and be comforted that in Christ we can have...

No Fear!

A sermon based on Psalm 46

Sunday, October 29, 2017 – Reformation B

 

What's your favorite hymn? That's a tough question isn't it? It's too hard to pick just one. But if I gave you a hymnal and half an hour, you'd have no trouble coming up with your top ten or twenty. And I'd be willing to bet that for a majority of us, I'd find quite a few hymns being repeated on many of your lists. Hymns like A Mighty Fortress (and what Reformation service would be complete without that one), hymns like Be Still My Soul, and hymns like In Christ Alone (which we will sing later this morning). They're all great hymns and all great hymns for Reformation day.

But besides being great hymns do you know what else they have in common? All three express the thoughts recorded in Psalm 46. And I can't help but think that Psalm 46 was a favorite hymn of many an Old Testament believer for the same reasons that A Mighty Fortress, Be Still My Soul, and In Christ Alone are so popular today. Because they all express the quiet confidence that we have in spite of our many struggles and trials because of God's certain promises. They all express the quiet confidence that gives peace now and lets us be still. They all express the quiet confidence that drives out fear and makes us bold. Listen again to the familiar words of Psalm 46—the Psalm on which Martin Luther based his hymn A Mighty Fortress…

 

1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

 

I.             God is Our Refuge

Right away the Psalmist gets right to the heart of the matter. He first gives the solution, then the problem. 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear… Fear can be crippling, can't it? Fear can be a master and make you its slave. And fear robs us of confidence, peace, and strength. Fear is a major problem.

But what causes fear in your life? Do you fear the results of upcoming elections? Do you fear for the future of our nation? When you consider our economy and think about your financial security, do you grow worried, even scared? Do you fear that trip to the doctor because you're afraid of what he might say? Or because you're afraid of what she'll tell you to do? Are you afraid that your relationships will forever be strained? That you'll never reconcile? That you'll always be alone?

There are many things that cause fear. But in Matthew 6 Jesus pointed out the real cause: "If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" (Matthew 6:30) Fear and worry really come from a lack of faith. Fear and worry say to God, "I don't really think you are my refuge. I don't really think you're my strength. I don't really think you're present. You can't really help me now."

And instead of being worried about the elections, or the economy, or our relationships, or anything in this life, we ought to be worried about our relationship with God, who we refuse to trust. We ought to be worried about the way we've offended him who's made such gracious promises to us. As Jesus put it in Matthew 10: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28)

And that is something that is truly worthy of our fear.

That thought of hell is something that at one point had Martin Luther terrified. He struggled against his sinful nature, he fought hard against his worry and doubt, he tried with all sincerity to do everything he could to please God. But he knew he was a sinner no matter what he did. He knew he could never do enough to make God happy since God demands perfection, since Jesus said, "When you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty." (Luke 17:10) And so, he was full of dread and terror.

So what removed the fear? The same thing that removes the fear for us. The truths sung about in Psalm 46: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." "God is within her," –that is, the city of God, a picture of the Church. And so, "she will not fall…" But what kind of protection does God promise? Does he promise that he will spare his people from every calamity that may hit? Does he promise to spare them from pain or frustration? No. Look at the context:

"Though" – or really the Hebrew says, "when" as if it were expected – "[When] the earth give[s] way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea… Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts." Then, a clear picture of Judgment Day – when God will put an end to this earth once and for all… Then, when he will destroy it, not with water, but with fire… Then, when the earth breaks apart and the mountains are sunk… Then we still have the confidence that, "The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

How do we know? How do we have this quiet confidence? Well, that title for God is a good hint: "The God of Jacob" was meant to call to mind that God was the God of a promise, of an unbreakable covenant. In Genesis 28 God repeated the promise he'd made to Abraham and to his son, Isaac, now to Isaac's son, Jacob: "All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring…" referring to the one promises to Adam and Eve in the Garden, the Messiah, the Savior.

So when the Psalmist says, "Come and see the works of the LORD…" we can't help but think of the great works of the LORD that we've seen in Christ. In Christ alone my hope is found. Because of his work for me on the cross, by his grace alone, through faith alone, revealed in Scripture alone, I know without a doubt that I will go to "the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells" where the river of life will forever flow, namely, of course, to heaven. Though I may live to see the desolation of the LORD that he will bring about on Judgment Day, "[When] the earth give[s] way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea… [When] he lifts his voice, the earth melts..." I know that I will survive it. And so I have no fear.

You know the best thing to do when you fall into some quicksand? Keep calm. Don't panic. Don't fight to work your way out. Just be still. Lay flat. And wait for rescue to come. In a similar way, when we worry about our sin, about our guilt and shame, about Judgment Day and hell, the best move is to be still and look for God's rescue. The more I work to earn his favor, the more I really fail. But when I quit struggling and look to him, I see what he's already done. I know there's nothing left for me to do. I'm safe. No fear.

This is the confidence Martin Luther found in God's gracious promises. This Gospel truth became to him a mighty fortress that shielded him from fear and worry and the attacks of satan. And this Gospel truth is our castle too, our mighty fortress, that we too might have no fear.

 

II.            God is Still With Us

Ah, but only if it were that easy, right? My sins are forgiven. Heaven is certain. I need not fear Judgment Day, so all worry and fear will now cease! …Ah.. if only. But we're still so afraid aren't we? We ask, "What will I do next year if the economy tanks again? What will I do next month if this spot doesn't go away? What will I do next week if the boss decides to lay me off? What will I do tomorrow if this relationship isn't fixed? I know I have heaven, but heaven is still such a long ways off… and I'm still afraid."

But did you notice the problem with all of those questions? They all asked, "What will I do?" Too often we think, "I am within this (this relationship, this job, this body, this economy, this whatever)! Therefore, she will not fall!" But what foolishness to think we are in control. That's why we still have so much fear! But what removes fear—not just the fear of hell, but the fear that our day to day problems still bring? The truths of Psalm 46:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble… God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day… The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress… Be still, and know that I am God… The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

"Therefore," because of his gracious promises to continue to be our strength and help, not just for eternity, but already now in time, "we will not fear." Because "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32) "we will not fear." Because "we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose…" (Romans 8:32) "we will not fear." Because, "we know and rely on the love God has for us..." (1 John 4:16) "we will not fear."

Do you ever go to bed and worry that the sun will never rise; that never again will you see the light of day? Of course not! Even in Alaska where you may not see sunlight on a given day, you know without a doubt that there will still be daylight, no matter what. Well, here's God's promise to you: "God is within [his Church], she will not fall; God will help her at break of day." The night will pass. The nightmare will end. Day will come. Even if all of the world's nations fail, God still stands. Even if you lose all else, God still stands. Even if your life ends, God still stands. And his help will come. You can be more certain of that truth that that you'll see daylight tomorrow.

And so we can, "Be still," literally in the Hebrew, "Cause it to go slack." Maybe in our modern English slang, we can "Drop it," or "Let it go," or maybe just "Relax," because we know without a doubt that we are safe within the Mighty Fortress. Our salvation is secure through the horrors of Judgment Day, even as the world is destroyed, because of Christ alone. We can drop it, let it go, and relax, because we know that God is still with us, promising his ever-present help in trouble. God is with us. We will not fall. God is with us. He is our impenetrable fortress.

And this truth, gives us a quiet courage, and at the same time makes us bold to take a stand… just like Luther, just like those who signed the Augsburg Confession and offered their heads to the emperor, just like so many others before and after them, because we too have … No fear!  And this is our hymn of courage:

 

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man
Could ever pluck me from His hand

'Til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I stand.

 

So, "Be still," dear friends, "and know that… The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. " And have… no fear! 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

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