Monday, August 27, 2012

Walk the Tightrope of Faith (A sermon based on Ephesians 5:15-20)

With the influence of the world on the outside and the sinful nature on the inside, it's a struggle to keep walking the line of faith. And if we fall off, the results can be eternally deadly. But thank God that we don't walk the line alone. God the Holy Spirit guides us every step of the way, keeping our focus on Christ through the Word. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Ephesians 5:15-20 and be encouraged to walk carefully... 

Walk the Tightrope of Faith

A sermon based on Ephesians 5:15-20

Sunday, August 26, 2012 – Pentecost 13B 

On June 15th of this year Nik Wallenda became the first man to cross Niagra Falls on a tightrope in 116 years. And the very first person ever to cross the 1,800 feet directly above the falls with the mist and the spray and gusts of wind hitting him from all sides the entire time. And, of course, you may have seen it since it was on live television with a peak of 16 million viewers, setting a record for the most viewers of a non-sports TV special ever. His next challenge? He wants to be the first person to walk the 5,000 feet across the Grand Canyon.

Now I don't know about you, but I can guarantee you will never get me to willingly go on any high wire, even if it's only five feet across and two feet off the ground. I have a fear of heights. (Or really a fear of falling from them since I'm not scared to view heights from the ground.) But just the thought of walking a tightrope makes me nervous. It's tough. It's scary. And in Wallendas case, with no safety net beneath him most of the time, the smallest error can result in death.

As Paul addressed the Ephesian Christians in this morning's text, he told them that their walk of faith was sort of like walking a tightrope. You must be careful. It's not easy because the evil world around you will try to hit you from all sides and knock you off. And because failure can be deadly, it can be pretty scary. But then Paul encouraged the Ephesians (and he encourages us) by reminding them that we don't walk the rope alone. The Holy Spirit will guide you and keep you on. Listen now to Paul's encouragement to the Ephesians and to us in Ephesians 5:15-20…

 

15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

I.              The World Will Try to Mislead You and Knock You Off

 

Our text begins with the words, "Be very careful, then, how you live…" but the Greek literally says, "Watch carefully, therefore, how you walk." And the Greek word translated "carefully" is akribos, the word from which we get our English word, "acrobat." So perhaps a translation that would fully bring the illustration out would be, "Therefore, watch how acrobatically you walk." We don't just mosey or meander through the walk of our Christian life. Our movements are planned and careful and accurate as if we were walking on a tightrope. Or as one pastor once illustrated, "Walk as though you were barefoot in a backyard that's home to five or six big dogs—walk carefully!"

And why do we walk this way? Well, Paul says "therefore," so we need to look at the verses before these to find out why. In the first two verses of Ephesians 5 Paul spelled out why we want to walk the tightrope of faith. We heard those verses last week: "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2)

By our actions we prove ourselves to be sinners—by ignoring every opportunity to be loving and self-sacrificing in our self-centeredness, by acting foolish and neglecting the Word through which we understand what the Lord's will is, by getting drunk with alcohol, or greed, or pride, and acting just like the wicked world around us. And as sinners we know that we deserve to fall off the tightrope—that we deserve to fall, not onto a nice springy safety net, but to fall endlessly into the depths of eternal death in hell.

And yet, in love, Christ gave himself up for us. He was thrown down into hell on the cross in our place. Now, with our sins removed by his sacrifice, we are God's dearly loved children. Now, forgiven by him, we long to live a life that's pleasing to him in thanksgiving. Now we strive to walk acrobatically.

But that walk of a Christian life isn't easy. You know that. You live the struggle. You know that it would be difficult enough to walk across Niagara falls on tightrope without any distractions. But imagine someone actively and maliciously trying to knock you off the line. That's what Paul alludes to when he says, "the days are evil." The sinful world around us wants to make us lose our faith in Christ. It wants us to lose sight of him. It wants to knock us off and make us look to the temptations it offers, or look to ourselves and our own efforts and how good we are for our security. It wants to make us fall.

And not only is the world aggressively attacking on the outside while we try to "walk the line." But we struggle with our own sinful natures as well. Imagine trying to walk a tightrope when you've had too much to drink and are a little tipsy. It's not easy, is it? That's why cops make someone walk along a line to test sobriety. The results of such a foolish attempt would be deadly. And that's what our own sinful natures try to make us do. "Get drunk," they say, "not just on alcohol, but deaden your senses with mind-numbing entertainment of movies and TV. Ignore God's will and act senseless and foolish, because that's more fun. It's too hard to walk the line, too boring to stay sober, too dull to live carefully according to God's will. So give up. Give in. Act like the world around you."

And with such pressure hammering on every Christian on the outside and throbbing in every Christian on the inside, it is difficult to stay on that tightrope. And it always will be. That's why Paul's verbs are all in the present tense, "continue to do these things all the time." But don't give up. Don't give in. Because even thought we can't live a life pleasing to God on our own, we don't have to! We have the help we need! We have that help from God himself.

 

II.            The Spirit Will Guide You and Keep You On

 

How do we get rid of the influence of alcohol and foolishness? Well, let me ask in this way: How can I remove all the air from this glass? One person might suggest, "Suck it out with a pump." But as difficult as that would be with such a wide rim, it wouldn't work anyway. It would only create a vacuum and shatter the glass. Anyone figure out the right answer? It's simple really. You fill the glass with something else. [Fill the glass with water.] There. No more air in the glass.

That's how we get rid of foolishness, drunkenness and debauchery, which causes us forget about Jesus. We're filled up with something else. Paul continues, "Instead, be filled with the Spirit…"

Are you under the influence? You should be—but not under the influence of wine. You shouldn't be filled up with alcoholic spirits to get a bogus lift, a temporary high, that influences you to do more evil. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, who influences you to do wholesome things, to encourage each other, to make the most of every opportunity, to walk the tightrope of faith in wisdom doing what's according to God's will.

In this way, filling and guiding us, he will keep us on the tightrope of faith. Now imagine that you're trying to walk across a tightrope while there's someone on a catwalk right along side you holding your hand every step of the way. That's what the Holy Spirit does. He strengthens us in our faith. He keeps us in our faith. He keeps "our eyes [fixed] on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith." (Hebrews 12:2)

The Holy Spirit will help you recognize your sin and repent of it turning to God in confession. He will remind you of God's grace in forgiving every sin through Christ's death in your place. He will help you understand God's will for your life. He will help you to ask and to answer the questions, "How can I make the most of this opportunity? What would God have me do in this situation to express my thanks to him?" The Holy Spirit will keep you balanced on the tightrope of faith holding your hand every step of the way.

So, how then are we filled with the Spirit? Paul tells us how in verses 19 and 20. Verse 19 reads, "[by] speak[ing] to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. [By] sing[ing] and mak[ing] music in your heart to the Lord…"

Though it's not explicit, Paul seems to be suggesting that public worship with liturgical forms was already being developed and used. And this worship filled the Ephesians, and still fills us, with the Holy Spirit. Through music, regardless of the style, all of God's people, not just the pastor, speak the Word of God to one another. Through God's gift of music in the Psalms and our hymns, we connect the intellect to the emotions, we join what's in the head to what's in the heart.

Martin Luther clearly recognized this power of music and how the Word of God could be conveyed in poetic and artistic forms that would fill people with the Holy Spirit. That's why he set out to write as many hymns as he did in German, the language of the people. And it wasn't just a teaching aid, but a way that his parishioners could encourage and fill each other up. And since that time the Lutheran church has been nicknamed "the singing church."

Arguably you could be a Christian and never go to church. It's possible. But why would you want to? Here in worship with your fellow believers singing to God… and to you, you're encouraged. You're filled with the Holy Spirit and kept on that tightrope of faith. Make the most, then, of every opportunity and worship with fellow believers as often as you're able!

Paul continues with another way to be filled with the Holy Spirit. He says, "[by] always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Paul says always give thanks. It's an ongoing attitude in your heart every day. And we have so much to be thankful for! God gives us food and shelter, sleep and rest, friends and family, honest work, the list goes on and on… And of course we can't fail to mention the greater spiritual gifts he gives us as well: faith in Christ through the Word, forgiveness of sins, a new life of gratitude in him with the ability to please the Father!

And when Paul says "give thanks for everything," he really means everything! "But why should I give thanks for getting dumped?" "Why should I give thanks for the financial ruin I'm in?" "Why should I give thanks for the cancer he sent my father?" You should give thanks for two reasons: 1) even the things that seem horrible, as if no good could come of them, God promises to work for your good—to draw you closer to him. And 2) when you say, "Thanks God for this pain and hurt—the suffering that has brought me closer to you, that kept me connected to Christ, the suffering that reminds me that life isn't all about this life and that nothing can rob me of the glory that you have prepared for me in eternity!" when you speak like this, you fill those who hear you with the Spirit! Strengthened by God's Word, through you, they are better equipped to rejoice in their suffering.

By the way Wallenda's reason for wanted to cross Niagra Falls? He wanted to share his faith. He credits God for giving him the ability do what he does. He says his Christian faith is the most important part of his life, publicly prays before every wire walk and wears a cross whenever he performs. And if you watched the broadcast of Nik Wellenda crossing Niagra Falls, perhaps you heard what he was saying while he crossed since the producers put a microphone on him. He was praying and praising Jesus the entire way across, always giving thanks to God.

Dear friends, thank God that Jesus already crossed over, through the cross and the tomb, from death to life. Thank God that he's taken away every sin and every time you've fallen off the tightrope. Now, be filled with the Spirit. Put your trust in him. Lean your full weight on him as your only way to heaven. And walk carefully every day of your life, making the most of every opportunity to thank him for what he's done for you, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 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, August 21, 2012

I’ve Had Enough! (A sermon based on 1 Kings 19:3-8)

Ever get depressed and worn out? Ever ready to just call it quits? Then be fed and nourished by God's Word again today! When you've had enough of life, God gives you enough to eat. He encourages us by his grace in his Word and in his Sacraments. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on 1 Kings 19:3-8 and be fed by God's Word. And there find the strength to keep going and to do the work God has given you to do...

I've Had Enough!

A sermon based on 1 Kings 19:3-8

Sunday, August 19, 2012 – Pentecost 12B

 

Have you ever had just one of those days? You know the kind, where nothing goes right. The test you thought you aced, comes back with an F. The car you just bought left you stranded. The promotion at work was given to the boss's inept son instead of to you. You burned dinner to a crisp, the kids won't go to bed, and your stocks plummeted.

We all have days when we're down in the dumps. We get depressed. We don't always like the way things are going. Life is not always a load of fun and sometimes we've just had enough. And so, I think we can all understand how Elijah felt in this morning's sermon text.

This somewhat unfamiliar account is sandwiched between two famous Elijah stories. It precedes the account of God coming to Elijah in the wind, the earthquake, the fire, and finally a gentle whisper. And it follows right on the heels of the famous Mt. Carmel Challenge, where Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and Asherah to a contest to prove who was the real God. Elijah won decisively when God sent a fire to consume not only Elijah's sacrifice, but the trench full of water that he had poured over it as well.

But soon after this event, Elijah burned out. He was disappointed, discouraged, and depressed. He was ready to give up—ready to die. He'd had enough of life.

Sometimes, we feel like Elijah—like we've just had enough—maybe even enough of life? But God keeps us around for a reason, just as he kept Elijah around: He has work for us to do. And when we do feel like we've had enough of life, God gives us the strength we need. He gives us enough to eat to do the work he's given us to do. Listen now to Elijah's despair and God's comfort in 1 Kings 19:3-8…

 

3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day's journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

 

I.              …Enough of Life!

 

Do you wonder how Elijah could possibly be feeling down after such a great victory on Carmel? But put yourself in Elijah's shoes. What would you expect the outcome of that decisive victory to be?

Picture it. While Elijah taunted them, "Maybe Baal's asleep! Maybe he's on vacation! Maybe he's losing his hearing! Shout louder!" the prophets of Baal and Asherah slashed their arms, bleeding all over, to get their god's attention. But nothing happened. Then it was Elijah's turn. He prayed to the true God and immediately God sent a fire from heaven to consume the soaking wet sacrifice on the altar as well as the moat around it! Elijah won hands down! And at first, the results seemed favorable! All the people shouted, "The Lord is God!" and at Elijah's command they killed all 850 false prophets on the mountain!

Elijah must have been elated! Finally, after a long struggle, his time under the cross was at an end! With such a decisive victory for Elijah, surely all of Israel would return to the worship of the true God and would trust in Elijah as his representative. He'd be a hero. Now was the time for glory!

But that's not at all what happened. Instead, Queen Jezebel, undeterred by Mt. Carmel, threatened to make Elijah as dead as those 850 prophets of hers while her husband, King Ahab, did nothing to stop her. And Elijah's dreams collapsed. The man of courage found himself terrified. Thinking his cause to be a lost one, he ran for his life.

After running from Jezreel to Beersheba, a trek of 100 miles, he went a day further into the middle of the desert and finally collapsed under a lone broom tree and poured out his heart to God. "[He] prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors."

Why did Elijah run from Jezebel trying to save his life only to pray that God end his life now? What prompted such a change? Perhaps it was disappointment in the results of his labor. Perhaps disappointment with God for not blessing his efforts more. Perhaps he was ashamed of his cowardice. Perhaps he knew he had failed to oppose such godlessness. Perhaps an overwhelming sense of his own sin and inadequacy. So he rightly admitted, "I am no better than my ancestors."

In a weakness of faith, Elijah despaired and asked God to take his life. He who just told a widow woman ready to eat her last meal with her son and die, "Don't be afraid," now ran in terror. He who had just boldly confronted 850 false prophets now ran from one woman. He who usually put his trust in God to care for him, forgot that God could protect him from Jezebel, wondering to himself, "Why would God let this happen?"

But Elijah wasn't the last to be persecuted for listening to God. All but one of the apostles were killed for following God, and many in horrible, painful ways. Luther was excommunicated from the church and threatened with execution by the emperor for standing up to the false prophets of his day. And we too face threats for speaking the truth…

When tasked to write an essay on witnessing, I once sent out a survey asking, "What are your greatest fears and concerns about sharing your faith?" And the answers I received sounded a lot like Elijah. And I suspect they sound like you and lime me at times. "I might face persecution and lose a friend," one person wrote. "No one ever listens anyway," said another. "I'd share my faith more if someone came to church with me just once when I did!" added a third. "We plan these big events and then no one comes! What's the use?" said another.

We too grow discouraged and burnt out. Peer pressure works on the young and old alike. The pressure at work, or the fear of being without work, the mockery, the condescension, the accusations of narrow-mindedness all take their toll. We become disappointed with our audience for their lack of response and disappointed with God for letting it be this way.

 And we too are tempted to throw in the towel when we've had enough of life. And then, we too may be pressed with guilt for feeling this way and feel ashamed and depressed for our cowardice in the face of opposition, discouraged by our own failures, feeling an overwhelming sense of our own sin and inadequacy. And we too confess our sin before God acknowledging that we are no better than our ancestors.

But like Elijah, the reality of our sin and human weakness is no reason to give up! God still has work for us to do! In fact, it's precisely when we realize that we are failures and inadequate that we can receive God's power and strength. Then he gives us enough to eat…

 

II.            …Enough to Eat!

 

After Elijah prayed for God to end his life, he fell asleep under that broom tree. And there God sent an angel to assure him that neither his failures, nor fears, nor any of his sins had put him outside the sphere of God's love. Nor had it nullified his call as a prophet. God still had work for him to do. So God filled him up and refreshed him…

All at once an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

Nourished by this miraculous bread and water brought by an angel of God, Elijah traveled for 40 days and nights—continuously—without needing to eat again! He went another 200 miles through that mostly inhospitable desert where previously God had miraculously sustained his people with manna and quail for 40 years. What comfort for Elijah—to know that God still had a use for him! That God was with him miraculously preserving him! What strength God gave his prophet!

And there on Mt. Horeb (another name for Mt. Sinai) God gave Elijah work to do again: to anoint two kings and Elisha, his own successor. And by God's grace, feeding him with bread and water from heaven, and with the Word of that gentle whisper, Elijah's defeatist attitude was gone and he was ready to go to work again.

And dear friends, God graciously sustains us as well. When we are frustrated and depressed, reminded of our failures and our sins, God reminds us that we aren't disqualified from service to him. We're not outside of his grace. And when we don't look to ourselves when we're feeling low, but to him, he gives us the same strength he gave Elijah.

Though at times our help may not be as spectacular as it was in the case of Elijah, with miraculous food from an angel, that help is real nonetheless. God still gives us shelter. He still grants us sleep. He still gives us food. And often much more than shelter under a bush, sleep on the ground, and bread and water. He sustains our lives every day giving us strength.

But much more than the physical strength he gives, he provides for us in more spectacular ways than Elijah. The bread he gives us keeps us alive for more than forty days. The bread he gives us is himself. Jesus said, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever." When, by the Holy Spirit working faith in our hearts, we believe in Jesus and in his death on the cross in our place, our every sin is forgiven! We are sinless saints who will not die forever in hell, but will live forever with Jesus! What amazing bread we have!

And what's more he gives us better bread and water than Elijah ever had—bread and water that continue to nourish and sustain us spiritually, especially when we feel down because of our guilt, our failures, and our sins. He gives us the bread of his very body which we're about to eat in the Lord's Supper—bread which is given "for you" for the very personal assurance of the forgiveness of your sins. He gives you water too—not water to drink, but the water of Baptism, that cleanses you of every sin! Water that assures you that you are indeed dearly loved children of God!

What comfort for us—to know that in spite of our sin, our weakness, our inadequacies, God still has a use for us! That God is with us constantly preserving us! What strength God still gives his people!

And just as Elijah's heavenly food invigorated him to be rid of his defeatist attitude and to get to work for the Lord, so too our heavenly food fills us with gratitude to our Savior who "gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." It rejuvenates us so we're recharged and ready to continue the work God's given us to do.

Now, refreshed by the Bread of Life, you can continue the work God's called you to do—not just resting in God's Grace, but boldly reaching out to others with the Gospel, regardless of how they respond! We can eagerly support the work of the church and do the work of the church. We can all put our past failures, our disappointments and our fears aside and confidently share our faith, making the most of every opportunity. We can all imitate God and tirelessly serve each other in love.

It's been said that "When God lets you stumble, he does so that you might fall into his arms." So the next time you're feeling depressed, discouraged, and overwhelmed, the next time you feel like throwing in the towel because you've had enough of life, turn to God. Confess your inadequacies, your failures, and your sins to him. And be filled up again with the nourishment he has to give and have enough to eat. For the Bread of Life has taken away your every failure, your every sin. And he gives you the energy you need to get to work for him again! 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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Sunday, July 22, 2012

Delivered by God's Grace (A sermon based on Ephesians 1:3-14)

Here's a special delivery just for you! How exciting! But this delivery isn't from Amazon or Ebay. It's even more exciting still! It's from God himself. God the Father has delivered you into his family. God the Son has delivered you from sin, death, and hell. And God the Holy Spirit has delivered the message of God's grace, right to your door, even to your heart! Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Ephesians 1:3-14 and rejoice that you have been delivered by God's grace...

Delivered by God's Grace

A sermon based on Ephesians 1:3-14

Sunday, July 22, 2012 – Pentecost 8B

 

The brown truck pulls up in front of your house and someone walks to your front door. "Please sign here," he says, as he hands you a large box. Now, whether it was a surprise from someone who loves you, or it's something you ordered and knew was coming, you can't tell me that you're not at least a little bit excited when there's a package delivered just for you.

Well this morning, I hope you're more than just a little bit excited to hear that God has a delivery just for you. And it's not just something from Amazon or Ebay. It's not just some gadget or new pair of shoes. God delivers to you something that is absolutely priceless. God gives you a special delivery as he gives you his grace.

Last week we finished our review of the Apostles' Creed (and again, you can listen to any of that series by visiting GraceLutheranKenai.com and clicking the podcast link). But in that series had opportunity to get excited at God's grace given to us by each person of the one Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And this morning we get a quick review of the entire series as we get excited again about God's special delivery to us by his grace. The Father delivered us into his family. The Son delivered us through his blood. The Holy Spirit delivered the message to our door. And because of the grace of our triune God, we are saved. And we have every reason to be excited. Listen now to Paul's description of God's grace to us in each person of the triune God as we are delivered by God's grace. Paul describes it in one long, excited run-on sentence in Ephesians 1:3-14…

 

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9 And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.


I.              The Father Delivered Us Into His Family

 

A young couple had tried to conceive, but God hadn't blessed them with children of their own. So they decided that this was an opportunity from the Lord to bring a child into the Kingdom who might not otherwise have a chance. They would adopt. So they worked through an agency. They saved the money and they hand-picked the little girl that would be their own. They chose their daughter and they adopted her. And they loved her more than anything in the world.

That's the way that God describes what he's done for you. Though not in a natural way, God delivered you into his family. "He chose us in him before the creation of the world… In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will… In him we were… chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will…"

God chose you to be his own. He hand-picked you to be delivered into his family. And just as an adopted kid gets no credit for being brought into a loving family, so, you too get no credit for being a part of God's family. It's by his grace that he chose you—hand-picked you to be his own. And he chose you, not because of anything good you did, not because you were better than others—for you, like all the rest, were a sinful rebel against God by nature! But he chose you to be his adopted child only by his love for you. 

Rejoice that God chose you. Not by your merit—for if that were the case he wouldn't have chosen you—but by his grace! You are his own dear child! Enjoy the security that your adoption by God brings. And look at your baptismal certificate as your adoption papers. For you have been adopted by God the Father and are dearly loved by him.

But, as you may know, an adoption isn't cheap. There's a lot of work that needs to be done to make it happen. There's usually a big trip that needs to be made. And there's also a heft cost of the paperwork and legal fees to adopt a child and bring him or her into your family. And that's certainly the case with God bringing you int his family. It cast a lot—not for the kids, who could never pay the cost, but for the parent. God paid all it cost to make us his own. He gave his one and only natural son…


II.            The Son Delivered Us though His Blood

 

You see, you and I were once stuck in our ways. We were enslaved to sin. We were doomed to die. We were damned to hell. And we were imprisoned—doomed to die forever because of our rebellion against God. But God loved us too much to let us die. He sent his son to rescue us! And the Son volunteered to deliver us from the enemy! And he did redeem us—that is, ransom us, or buy us back from the hostage situation we were in.

"He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ… In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins…"

We were stuck in sin. We were prisoners of hell, with no way out. But God the Son volunteered to go on a rescue mission to deliver us and rescue us. And he did it by his blood. That is, he was damned to hell in our place. As a part of his rescue mission, he lived a perfect life in our place and gave us credit for his perfection. Then he took on the sin of the whole world and wrestled it on the cross. He took on our guilt and all our shame and fought it head on. And then, when he died for our sin, suffering the torment of hell, he took on death. And dueling with the enemy he defeated death itself. Our Savior, Jesus, delivered us from sin, death, and hell, by his sacrifice. So that, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins…"

Now rejoice in God's rescue and don't go back into slavery. Don't play with the enemy. But steer clear! And stay strong against the temptation to fall back to the other side by the work of the Holy Spirit, who strengthens you by the Means of Grace…


III.           The Spirit Delivered the Message to Us

 

You know, on our own, we could never know what God has done for us in his grace, delivering us as his adopted child into his family, delivering us from sin, death, and hell, by his sacrifice for us. We couldn't know of his election or of his rescue unless he delivered to us the news. And the Holy Spirit has delivered that message right to our doorstep, just like the UPS or FedEx, by brining the Word of God's grace to us.             

"He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ… And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,  who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…"

God calls the Gospel a mystery because it's something we couldn't know on our own. It had to be revealed to us. And it has been by the Holy Spirit working through the Word of God. And he has become a seal that marks us and is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.

When you find a home you like, when you want to buy a car or an RV, you put down a deposit. The house or the vehicle isn't yours—not yet—and won't be until you make that final payment to the dealer or to the bank that really owns the title. But that initial payment, that deposit, guarantees that the house, or the car, or the RV is yours. No one else can buy it. No one else can take it away.

"You were marked in [Christ] with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,  who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance…"

The Holy Spirit has created faith in you by delivering the message to your door, just like the UPS or FedEx delivery guy. And not only that, but he's created your faith that puts your trust in that message. Do you believe that Jesus paid for your sins on the cross? Then you have faith. You have the Holy Spirit. And you are guaranteed a place in heaven!

And now the Holy Spirit keeps us in the faith by continually delivering the message of God's grace right at our feet. He delivers God's message of Grace to you, right into your homes, through the Word of his Scriptures. He delivers his cleansing and the creation of faith through the waters of Baptism. He delivers Jesus' very body and blood right to your mouth as you come to receive him in the Sacrament.

How foolish would it be if the UPS guy brought me a package and I signed for it, but then left it unopened?! Don't leave the package of the Holy Spirit—the Word of God that he's delivered to you—unopened! Read the Word daily! Remember your Baptism! Take the Lord's Supper as often as you're able and receive that grace that the Spirit delivers to you!

And get excited about that package he delivers! For God the Father has delivered you into his family, adopting you to be his own! God the Son has delivered you from the enemy, rescuing you from sin, death and hell! And God the Holy Spirit has delivered that message to you, creating the very faith in your heart that clings to his gracious promises!

Now, stay strong in your faith by the Word that he delivers. Rejoice in the work of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and live to the praise of his glory until he gives us the full inheritance of his glory in heaven. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and Holy Spirit. 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, July 16, 2012

Growing Fruit (A sermon based on Galatians 5:16-26)

So you believe in Jesus death and resurrection to secure your salvation. Now what? Now do we just sit around and live self-serving lives because, after all, we're forgiven for being selfish? NO!! Not at all! Now the Holy Spirit leads us into lives of sanctification, that is lives that are set apart for service to God and others in thanks for what he's done for us in Christ. We don't have to do anything to get into heaven, so we want to do everything to say thanks to God and produce the fruit of faith. In this sermon, we conclude our series on the Apostle's Creed and Luther's explanation of it in his Small Catechism, as we examine the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification and ask "What does this mean?" Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Galatians 5:16-26 and be encouraged in your fruit of faith...

Growing Fruit

A sermon based on Galatians 5:16-26

Sunday, July 15, 2012 – 3rd Article – Part 2 (Sanctification)

 

It's not quite as easy to get here in Alaska. Oh, it's available. You just have to pay a little more for it since it all has to be shipped up. It doesn't grow here. It won't grow here. It's not the right climate. Yes, fresh fruit in Alaska isn't always that easy to get.

But here at Grace fresh fruit abounds! Now, I don't mean that every potluck here looks like the produce department at Fred Meyer, even though I do enjoy the oranges and apples and strawberries that are often brought for church functions. No, what I'm referring to is the fruit of the Spirit. As the Holy Spirit works through the Word and convicts us of our sins then comforts us with the Gospel, he also moves us to live lives of thanks to God. And when we do, we produce good works, or fruits. But this fruit isn't something we grow of ourselves. It's something the Holy Spirit works in us.

This morning as we review the third article of the Apostle's Creed, we rejoice in that work of the Holy Spirit who "sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith." The Apostle Paul described how the Spirit does this in Galatians 5:16-26…

 

16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

 

  I.        Connected to the Vine

 

Let's face it. Deep down we're all selfish, just like the Galatians were. That selfishness, the Bible calls our sinful nature. And my sinful nature loves to serve me first. It desires to rebel against God who demands that we live for him and others. It "desires what is contrary to the Spirit." And the Apostle Paul gives us a bunch of examples of how that's the case. He says, "The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery…" That is, sexual sins of all kinds, including lust, promiscuity, pornography. Viewing others as object to be used certainly isn't loving them as we love ourselves. He continues with "idolatry and witchcraft" Serving other so-called gods like money, the pursuit of more stuff, drugs or alcohol, our own self-interests. All these are idolatry. And Paul keeps going: "hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition (which we sometimes even parade as a virtue! "Man he has drive!"), dissensions, factions and envy." All these are sins in our relationships, when we love ourselves more than the people around us, when we viciously bite and devour one another like wild animals. Paul adds a few more sins to the list, but he can't conclude it. He ends with, "drunkenness, orgies, and the like," because the list goes on and on.

And Paul gives the stern warning "that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God." And you know the alternative. Those who live like this—that is, those whose lifestyle is marked by such sins, showing on the outside the impenitence on the inside—those will inherit hell. That was all of us at one point, before the Spirit acted. How badly we need to be free from ourselves and our sinful natures!

Now, while we just look at a few verses of Paul's letter to the Galatians, it's important to remember that the entire book of Galatians is Paul's single sermon. So even though he doesn't cover specific gospel in these verses, he doesn't need to. He's already done that in the first half of the book.

In that first half, Paul underscored God's salvation. He sent Jesus to set us free from our sin! And he reminds us of that at the beginning of this chapter (5:1) where he writes "Christ has set us free." And we've been reminded in recent weeks that our freedom didn't come cheap. There was a huge price that had to be paid—a price that only Jesus could pay: the very life of God himself! Jesus—true God—died on a cross to take the punishment that our selfish acts have earned. And far worse than physical death, he went to hell on that cross to pay for our rotten fruit. That was the price of our freedom. 

But now we don't have to pay a thing! We weren't a part of that fierce battle that took place to win our spiritual freedom any more than we were a part of the Revolutionary War. But we receive the blessings of the victory, nevertheless—even though we didn't participate in the war. God did it all from start to finish. He chose us to be his own. He sent his Son to rescue us. He led us to trust that good news. That's why we confess, "the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts…" And by bringing us to faith he's connected us to God's family tree. And the Holy Spirit continues to keep us in the true faith, connected to the nourishing roots of the Word and Sacraments.

Yes, indeed! "Christ has set us free." But setting us free from sin and death and hell by connecting us to the vine of Jesus, also makes us free from our sinful natures. Setting us free from sin and death and hell by connecting us to the vine of Jesus makes us free to live by the Spirit and produce the fruit of faith as we grow in the vine…

 

II.        Growing in the Vine

 

For the Galatians, being a part of God's family tree made them want to change. They no longer wanted to live by the sinful nature, but living by the Spirit, they produced the fruit of the Spirit. And it's the same way with us. We aren't content to believe in what Christ has done for us and then sit back and do nothing. While it's very true that we don't have to do anything to be saved, it's precisely because we don't have to do anything that we want to do everything to show our gratitude and thanks. The good news of Jesus' forgiveness delivered to us by the Spirit moves us to that kind of grateful living.

The Spirit moves us to be sanctified or set apart. He moves us to be set apart from our old, selfish way of thinking and living. He moves us to be set apart for a special, noble purpose as we live to serve God and others.

Now that kind of living isn't easy. And it's not something we can do on our own. But thankfully we don't have to do it on our own! We have help that's far more powerful than we could ever imagine. We have the Holy Spirit working with us and in us.

Paul says, "live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature... if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law... Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." And when we live by the Spirit, guided and directed by him in the Word, strengthened by him in the Sacrament, with him as our ally, keeping us focused on Jesus and the freedom that he won for us, we will produce the fruit of faith. It's not optional. In fact, as grow in our faith, we aren't able to prevent the fruit from coming.

Did you notice that while Paul described what the sinful nature does he called those things acts—things we try to do. But when he talked about what the Spirit does he didn't call them acts, but fruit. These aren't things we work at. They're natural by-products of being a Christian, of living by the Spirit.

What's that fruit look like? Paul says, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control." Of course, there's enough in these two verses for an entire series of sermons (which, I promise I won't try to preach right now… You're welcome). But in contrast to self-serving acts of the sinful-nature, these are the selfless fruit of the Spirit:

Loving others as much as we love ourselves, filled with the joy of knowing how our Savior has loved us and freed us from our sin, eager to be patient with them when they're on our nerves, just as God has been patient with us. We can't help but be kind and good to others, mimicking how kind and good our God is to us. We will be faithful in our work and in our studies, and faithful to our friends and our spouses (whether the spouse you have now, or the future spouse you may someday have). We will be gentle and humble as our Savior was for us. And we will be self-controlled—that is, controlled by the new self, not the sinful-nature anymore.

We will produce this fruit. And note too that it's singular (one fruit, not many). You can't just pick and choose saying, "Well, I'm patient, so I don't need to be kind." No. This is a package deal, like the mixed fruit you get in the fruit basket. But we naturally do it all in response to all our Savior's done for us.

Yes, fresh fruit may be more difficult to come by in Alaska than it is in the lower forty-eight. But here at Grace, we will always be like a cornucopia full of fresh fruit as we live by the Spirit, giving thanks to God in all that we do until, "On the Last Day [the Holy Spirit raises you and] me and all the dead, and give[s] eternal life to [us] and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true." Amen.


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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Sunday, July 8, 2012

You Are Alive! (A sermon based on Ephesians 2:1-10)

This week we again continue our sermon series reviewing the Apostle's Creed and Luther's explanation to it in his Small Catechism. (You can find it at our website by clicking here.) Today we focus on the first part of the third article, rejoicing in how the Holy Spirit brings us to life by converting us and giving us saving faith in Christ. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Ephesians 2:1-10 and rejoice that you who were once dead are now alive! 

You Are Alive!

A sermon based on Ephesians 2:1-10

Sunday, July 8, 2012

 

The man had been working on this project in his basement tirelessly for the last several months. His assistant did the dirty work of getting the necessary materials, but he did the challenging work of putting them all together. Finally, after stitching each rotting body part together with careful precision, his masterpiece was complete. Now it was time to see if it would work. He threw the oversized switch mounted on the wall and sparks flew! Thousands of volts of electricity shot through the wires and into the lifeless body lying before him. First he twitched. Then he lurched forward. Then he sat up moaned. The mad scientist started dancing in his basement and cackled with delight: "It's alive! It's alive! It's aliiiiive! Hahahaha!"

It almost sounds like a scene from a 1950's horror film, but in our text for this morning, Paul describes a similar scene. He talks about the dead coming to life in an extraordinary way. Of course he doesn't speak of the physically dead coming to life with a few thousand volts of electricity, but far more spectacular, amazing, and miraculous, he describes the spiritually dead coming to life by the infinitely powerful grace of God.

You and I, dear friends, were once spiritually dead. We could do no more for ourselves spiritually than a rotting corpse could do physically. But when we deserved nothing but God's wrath, he made us alive! He made us alive by his Spirit! He made us alive by his grace alone! And he made us alive, to live in his grace right now! Listen to the scene Paul describes in Ephesians 2:1-10…

 

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 

I.              Alive by the Grace of God

 

Ever watch a movie about zombies? The living dead? They're moving and moaning and walking around chasing after the living, but they aren't really alive. They're dead. As unflattering as it sounds, that's exactly what we were once like. Paul says, "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live… gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts… we were by nature objects of wrath."

We were once lying in the grave of sin, rotting and stinking. We were unable to climb out, unable to call for help, unable to do anything because we were dead. Like the living dead we could go about the routine tasks of this life, eating and sleeping, working and playing, but could do nothing good spiritually.

We stunk of the death of our sinful natures—of the relentless gossip, the cruel backstabbing, the selfish behaviors, the anger and malice we showed others, the shameful sins we kept hidden from everyone around us, and the evil motives for our actions that only God knew. Dead, lifeless, cold, rotting, corpses. That's what we were.

"But… God…" How beautiful those two words are! We were lifeless and powerless, but God didn't leave us that way! He brought us to life! And not with the electricity of a defibrillator, but with something far more powerful—with his love, his mercy, his grace—that love he has for you though you deserve none of it! 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 

When we were incapable of producing a single good work before God, he saw our wretched situation. And moved by his seemingly impossible love for us, he saved us not by anything that we could do, but entirely by his grace.

He sent his Son to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins. The sinless Son of God lived a blameless life, keeping every one of God's commandments in our place. The spotless lamb of God was slaughtered on a cross to pay for our guilt. And every one of our sins was placed on him. And all of our guilt was exchanged for his holiness.

What do we need to do to be saved from the death we were stuck in? Nothing! He did it all! In fact, we can do nothing! He did it all! Even the very faith, that trust in his promises, that believing in him that receives the blessings of the cross was given to us as a gift—something unearned. When we were dead in sin and incapable of faith, God made us alive! "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God…" 

Or, as Luther put it in his explanation to the third article of the Apostles' Creed: "I believe that I cannot by my own thinking or choosing believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts… and kept me in the true faith.  In the same way he calls, gathers, enlightens… the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith."

We were once spiritually dead and bound to die forever in hell where, like the living dead, we could never fully die, but would keep on living in suffering and regret. But God acted. And we've been made alive! Alive not by anything we've done, but we live only by the grace of God. And now we can truly live! We can live life to the full in the grace of God…

 

II.            Alive in the Grace of God

 

When God brought us to life, it wasn't like some Frankenstein or some zombie that seemed a life, but just barely—moving with stiff joints, and weak moans and groans. Instead, he made us spiritual alive with a life that is rich and full of life—one where we are spiritually healthy and beautiful and can dance and sing and live each day in this grace of God.

Paul wrote, "God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ… God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." 

God didn't take you out of the grave just to make you wander the graveyard for the rest of your days. No! He didn't just take you out of the grave, but out of the graveyard altogether! In John 10:10 Jesus said, "I have come that they" [that is, his sheep—his followers] "may have life, and have it to the full." We're no longer destined to wander this dreary world, but he will take us to heaven. And that truth, lets us live life to the full right now. And what a life it is! Because, "In this Christian church he daily and fully forgives all sins to me and all believers."

You and I, dear friends, now have the incredible privilege of living our lives in thanks to the one who brought us to life by bringing about our conversion and still daily and fully forgives us all our sins! "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

We are God's creation. But we're not some gruesome collection of rotting pieces sewn together with a little bit of this and a little bit of that. No! We're  God's workmanship! His work of art! His masterpiece! Lovingly and patiently God has shaped us by the circumstances of life and by the powerful tools of his Word and Sacraments. And when we do good works, we give glory to our Master. We honor our Maker. Our actions are not to our glory but to his.

So what makes a good work? Any act of loving kindness performed out of thanks for the grace in which we live! A young bride once put a sign above her kitchen sink that read: "Divine services held here three times daily." That sign was a reminder to her of what a good work is. It's the smallest of things that we do to the glory of God as we live in his grace and as we live in thanks to him.

Have you ever been on vacation and said to yourself, "Now this is the life!"? Well in view of God's great grace for us in bringing us to life when we were spiritually dead, we view the tasks of our daily routines differently. Driving the kids to school (under the speed limit, of course)… Being kind to your spouse (even when they're grumpy)… Doing your homework to the best of your ability… Occasionally making yourself available to that person that always seems to need you… all of these are more than just mundane tasks. They're good works that God has prepared for us to do. And when we do them in view of the cross and in thanks to him, then we can say, "Now this is the life!"

Remember what you once were—spiritually dead, lifeless, corpses bound for an eternity of death in hell. And remember what you are—spiritually alive in every way, seated with Christ in the heavenly realms—brought to life, not by your efforts or your decision, but by God's grace, by the Holy Spirit. For Jesus has come to bring you life! And as you continue to live your lives in thanks to him, then you'll really live! You'll live life to the full! You are alive, dear friends, through Jesus! This is most certainly true. Amen!

 

In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Plug In to the Power of Jesus! (A sermon based on Ephesians 1:18-23)

This week we again continue our sermon series reviewing the Apostle's Creed and Luther's explanation to it in his Small Catechism. (You can find it at our website by clicking here.) Today we focus on the second part of the second article, rejoicing in how our exalted Savior gives us all the power that we need...

Where do you get your power from? From the food you eat, from the outlet in the wall, from the gas station down the street! But when it comes to the power to deal with the challenges we face in life, when it comes to the power to deal with our sin and guilt, there's only one Power Source that will do. Jesus has more power than we could imagine. And he promises to use it all for our good. As we know that power from the Word, we're equipped to use that power in our lives. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Ephesians 1:18-23 and plug in to the power of Jesus!

Plug In to the Power of Jesus!

A sermon based on Ephesians 1:18-23

Sunday, July 1, 2012 – 2nd Article of the Apostles' Creed – Part 2

 

Smart phones, iPads, and blue rays fill our homes. Microwaves, refrigerators, and heaters all seem to be necessities these days. Computers, printers, telephones are all important tools at work. And all of these need a power source. Can you imagine living without batteries? Without electricity or natural gas?

Gas prices are on the rise and though we complain about the cost, yet we still drive wherever we want to go and the RV's are still coming down to the Peninsula.  But can you imagine what it would be like if all the oil dried up? Where would we be without fuel to power our cars, boats, and planes? How would we get from point A to point B? To maintain the way of life we're used to, in fact, in order to survive, we need fuel. We need food. We need heat. We need power. Otherwise we die.

The same is true of us spiritually. We need power. And we can't find it on our own. We can't fuel our own way to heaven. We can't even fuel our own way through the problems of this life. But the good news is we don't have to. We have a power source that never runs out, that never needs recharging, and the cost will never rise!  In fact, our spiritual power source will always be free of charge. Our power source is Jesus. This morning, as we review the second part of the second article on Jesus dominion and ask, "What does this mean?" we again plug in to him through the Word, we come to better know that power, and we become better equipped to use that power. Listen to Ephesians 1:18-23 and power up with Jesus… 

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

I.              Know His Power 

Have you ever been away from home for a while when all of a sudden your cell phone went dead? Ever been out on the road when the battery of your car died and left you stranded? Ever been at home when the power was out for a few days? It's not fun to lose power, is it?

In our lives, there are plenty of times that we lose power—and not just in our phones, our cars, and our homes. We lose power at work, in our finances, in our relationships. It seems too often that we lose power, are out of control, and can't handle the daily struggles.

But that's not the real problem. The real problem is that we ever thought we were in control in the first place. The real problem is that we rely on ourselves and our own power way too often. We buy into the lie that, "If it is to be, then it is up to me." But that's simply not true. We don't have the power within us to deal with the problems we face. We don't have the power to have strong relationships on our own. We don't have the power to have a secure future. And we don't have And we certainly don't have the power to deal with our sin or with the guilt that ensues.

I know that no one likes to hear it, but quite honestly, on our own, we're powerless—like dead batteries. Or worse, we're like corroded batteries that not only don't work, but ruin whatever we come into contact with. And for thinking we're just fine on our own, for relying on our own power and resources, for ignoring God's infinite power that he offers in our lives, we deserve to be tossed. We deserve hell.

But you know the solution. And "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may [better] know… his incomparably great power for us who believe." Where we are powerless, God has acted with his infinite power. You know the power he's displayed in Christ. Thought he was crucified, died, and was buried in apparent weakness, you know that in his death is the power to forgive all your sins! And you know that Jesus didn't stay dead! "That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms." You publicly confess your trust in that power every week! You say, "I believe in Jesus Christ… He descended into hell." (To declare his victory over death and satan and all his forces!) Then you add: "The third day he rose again from the dead.  He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty."

Who's in control? It's not you. It certainly isn't me. Jesus is in control of everything! Jesus has all the power!  "[God] seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything!"

But perhaps an even more important question to ask is, "How does Jesus use that awesome power?" And you know the answer to that question too: "God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way." God takes care of his believers as well as he takes care of his own body because that is in fact what you are—the very body of Christ.

Are you powerless? On your own, yes. But you're not on your own! You have the sure and certain promises of Jesus that he has the power to rule over all things and that he uses that power only to bless you!

So be at peace. Quit trying to be in control. Control is just an illusion anyway. Trust in the power of the Word that promises you forgiveness. Trust in the power to give you his body and blood with the bread and wine to give you that added assurance. And trust that he is in control of every aspect of your life !


II.            Use His Power

 

But, the fact that Jesus is the one who is in complete control with all the power, doesn't mean that you can then sit back on your couch, grow lazy, and become disengaged. While I pray as Paul did, that God will enlighten the eyes of your heart that you may better know God's power, I pray that it's not just an academic exercise. You see, when Paul said, "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know… his incomparably great power for us who believe," he wasn't talking about just knowing the facts. He was talking about knowing the truths of God's Word and trusting in them to the extent that we put them into practice. You don't just know about God's power in your head. You've experienced it in your life and God wants you to use it in your life every day! He wants you to plug in to that power, not just for the certain hope of an eternity with him in heaven someday, but  as you live your life right now.

What good is a fully charged phone if you never use it? What good is a computer connected to the grid if you never turn it on? What good is a fully charged boat battery if you never hook up the terminals? You know God's forgiving power! You know God's power to rule over all things! Now use that power in your lives!

What does that look like, to use God's power in your life? It has many wonderful facets. Let me give you just a few examples:

Œ Having experienced God's power to forgive your sins in Christ, you now have the power to forgive others, just as you've been forgiven—even if they're not sorry! You can let it go! Though you might have a timid disposition, you have the power to be bold in the way you live—showing no fear, having no fear, because you know that God is in control! Ž Though you may be concerned about your finances, you have the power to be generous, trusting that God will meet all your needs. Though you may have been hurt by others, you have the power to be kind and compassionate to them, not even worrying about how they respond. You have the power to be hurt and abused for doing what's right without growing bitter or resentful. ' You have the power to love others selflessly just as Christ loves you. ' You have the power to deny your selfish desires and make sacrifices to serve other. " You have the power to boldly speak of God's forgiving power in Christ.

And through all of this Christ is ruling. He's ruling to change your heart. He's ruling to change people around you. He's ruling to change the world! On your own, you are powerless. But you're not alone! Connected to Jesus in the Word, you have all the power you need and more! "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…" (Romans 1:16)

Now, stay plugged in, dear friends! Stay connected to the body of believers to grow in your faith. Worship whenever you can. Don't be content to let one hour a week be all that you feed your faith. Would you really want to live life with only one hour of electricity per week? You could do it, no doubt. But would you really want to? So don't be content with only one hour of spiritual power! But plug in! Get charged up! Get the power that never runs out, that never costs you a thing and use that power to God's glory as you "live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, just as he has risen from death and lives and rules eternally." And may God give you the power to say, "This is most certainly true." Amen. 


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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