Thursday, January 28, 2016

Jesus is Revealed… As the Prophet (A sermon based on Luke 4:14-21)

Wouldn't it be nice if you could accurately predict when an earthquake would take place, what the weather would be like, or who would win each football game. Of course, no prophets have ever made predictions with the accuracy of God's prophets. They pointed to Jesus and every prophecy came true. And Jesus pointed out that he was the Great Prophet who came to fulfill the prophecies and to fulfill our salvation. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Luke 4:14-21 and be certain of these prophecies come true! 

Jesus is Revealed… As the Prophet

A sermon based on Luke 4:14-21

Sunday, January 24, 2016 – Epiphany 3C

 

With popular movies like the Matrix trilogy, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the Harry Potter series, the idea of prophecies and fulfillments are becoming very familiar. The problem with these prophecies, however, is that they're obviously all fictitious—the inventions of some author's imagination. Other prophecies, real ones, like those of the stock market analysts and those who make election predictions, or even those of the famous French "prophet," Nostradamus, don't always (in fact, rarely) come true.

That's the problem with most prophets. They're either invented fairy tales or they're regularly waaaay off base. Only a few dozen prophets have proven to be without error in every single one of their predictions. Those prophets of course, are the Biblical authors. Every word written by them has proven to be true (or will prove to be true) because these men were inspired by God. But no prophet was as great as the Prophet—Jesus of Nazareth.

This morning as the Great Rabbi returned to his home town and went to worship at the synagogue, he had the opportunity to guest preach there. And with everyone listening intently to what he had to say, Jesus read a prophecy from the book of Isaiah (the Old Testament lesson for this morning that we just read). And he pointed out that Isaiah was right on multiple levels. Not only was he right about the Israelites being released from captivity, but Jesus himself was the greater fulfillment of these verses. Jesus revealed himself as the Prophet sent from God, to fulfill all Scripture and to fulfill our salvation. Listen now to the Gospel Lesson for this 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany as it's recorded for us in Luke 4:14-21…

 

14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him. 16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

 

I.     To Fulfill All Scripture

 

Roughly 700 years before Christ, Isaiah wrote the prophecy we just read earlier in the service. (cf. Isaiah 61:1-6) He claimed to be inspired by God with the Spirit of the Lord on him. Anointed as a prophet of God, he claimed to speak on God's behalf, being sent by him. But how do we know his claims were true? Well Jeremiah tells us the test of a true prophet in Jeremiah 28:9: "But the prophet… will be recognized as one truly sent by the LORD only if his prediction comes true."

So how about Isaiah's prediction? Did it come true? Was there good news for the poor? Were prisoners set free and the oppressed released? The Israelites were in captivity in Babylon when Isaiah wrote, but what happened to them? Do you remember? They were released from their oppression and set free from their prison. Cyrus, the king of the Persians, released the Israelites sending them back to Jerusalem, just like Isaiah predicted.

And once more the people celebrated the year of the Lord's favor. Now this phrase is one used of the Old Testament festival of the Year of Jubilee. This was a year-long celebration that took place every 50 years. It was a time when all the people, all the animals, even all the land, rested with no farming and no work taking place. It was a year when everything was reset and property was restored to its original owners. This way, if debt and hard times forced someone to sell his land, it was given back in the 50th year. If even harder times forced someone to sell themselves as a slave, they were released from their slavery in that Year of Jubilee. (cf. Leviticus 25)

Released from their Babylonian slavery, with their family land back in their possession, this prophecy of Isaiah's was fulfilled.

But there was a second fulfillment to these verses of his. There was a greater fulfillment.

20 Then [Jesus] rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."

If you have a red-letter edition of the Bible, you'll find that the editors chose to put the quotation of Isaiah in red ink, a color they designate for the words of Jesus himself. And they were right to do so, not just because Jesus read these words, but because he spoke them through Isaiah the first time. These verses did find a partial fulfillment in the release from Babylonian captivity. But they find their complete fulfillment in Jesus and the greater release he brings.

Jesus fulfilled this (and every) prophecy of Scripture! Jesus had the Spirit of the Lord on him. Jesus was anointed, not just with oil, but with the Holy Sprit. (We saw that two weeks ago at his Baptism.) And Jesus proclaimed good news to those poor sinners in that synagogue that morning. What an awesome treat they had! To have Jesus not only expound upon the text and preach about it—what a great sermon that must have been!—but to fulfill that text himself!

And, dear friends, what an awesome treat we have! Jesus still comes to us today. He's right here with us fulfilling this prophecy in your hearing! What a privilege is ours to hear him speak to us in his Word every day in our Bibles!

Dear friends, take advantage of those opportunities Jesus gives you. Follow his example and make it your custom—your habit—to go to church every week, just like Jesus did. And learn how not just this one, but all of Scripture is fulfilled in Jesus. Learn the Word and see for yourselves how the Bible is completely trustworthy. And be assured that he will fulfill every promise just as he has already fulfilled our salvation!

 

II.    To Fulfill Our Salvation

 

Let's take a look at Isaiah 61:1-2 again and see how Jesus would fulfill this particular prophecy. Jesus said, 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

With four pictures Isaiah describes what the Messiah would come to do. With these words Jesus tells us what he would do: Bring freedom to prisoners, restore sight to the blind, release the oppressed, and proclaim the Year of Jubilee.

November, 29, 2005 Robin Lovitt, a convicted killer sentenced to execution by lethal injection, was waiting in a locked cell. The very next day the sentence was to be carried out. But that night, a phone call from Mark Warner, governor of Virginia, changed everything. After Gov. Warner reviewed the case and found that some evidence against Lovitt had been "accidentally" destroyed, clemency was granted. Lovitt's life was spared and not a minute too soon.

In a similar way clemency—mercy—has been granted to each of us. Jesus brought freedom to us captives—a freedom, not from the prison of Babylon or of some cell on death row, but a freedom from hell where Satan held the key. Guilty of a life of sin, of neglect of the Word of God, of selfish behavior every day, we were sentenced to an eternity of death in hell. And there was no chance of any prison break.

But Jesus stepped in and changed everything. He took our place. He set us free, giving us his perfect, sinless life—a life that always worshipped God, not just once a week, but with a life that loved to hear (and share) God's Word. And he took our crimes on himself. He took the sentence we deserved because someone had to pay for what we've done. And he was executed for us. In that act he set us free from death and from hell.

And how does this pardon become ours? Also through, Jesus who fulfilled every aspect of our salvation! You've heard of the three blind mice, but have you heard of the blind mice who regained their sight? In November of 2007 scientists in the UK have done just that. Through some new medical research they've successfully restored the sight of some mice with macular degeneration.

And while Jesus literally restored sight to the blind, even greater still is the sight he's given to the spiritually blind. You see, left on our own, none of us would even be aware of our impending doom in hell. We would continue in our rebellion against God and rejection of him and his love. But through Baptism and through the preaching of the Word, Jesus has given us sight. He let's us see what he's done for us on the cross. He creates (and sustains) the faith in our hearts that trusts in that love.

And when he does that, he also releases us from our oppression. We are no longer crushed by guilt as we try to live up to God's impossible (yet just) standard of perfection. We don't live our lives in fear of losing God's love by our sin. Instead, released of any obligation to do anything more for our salvation, because Jesus has done it all, our hearts soar! And we celebrate not just a year, but a Life of Jubilee—a life of rest, a life that's been reset as we've been restored to our original owner, a life released from the slavery of sin, free to serve God in love and thanks!

What good news Jesus has preached to us spiritually poor, impoverished sinners—that through this perfect Prophet, Jesus, who fulfilled the Scriptures, who fulfilled our salvation, we are no longer poor. We're as wealthy as you can get. We have joy in spite of the sorrows of this life. We know we'll have eternal joy and release from all oppression and pain forever in heaven. What good news! That every prophecy of Scripture is fulfilled in Jesus! That every aspect of our salvation has been fulfilled by him! That we have become rich through him. As Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 8:9, "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." Enjoy the wealth, dear friends, in Jesus, revealed as the Prophet. 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, January 19, 2016

​ ​Jesus is Revealed… As the Miracle Worker​ (A sermon based on John 2:1-11​)

Jesus can do anything he wants, right? After all he's God! So why doesn't he help us in our problems? Is that he doesn't want to help?  In this week's sermon, we see how Jesus helped a newlywed couple with a small problem of wine. He shows that he cares about our "little" problems too. He has the power to help. He has the desire to help. So we can trust him to help... only in his own time and in his own way. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on John 2:1-11 and learn to better put your trust in him and wait for his help...​​

​Jesus is Revealed… As the Miracle Worker​

A sermon based on John 2:1-11

​

Sunday, January 17, 2016 – Epiphany 2C

​
 

The big day was finally here! The day she'd dreamed about since she was a little girl! Today was her wedding day! But right before the ceremony was about to begin, disaster struck! Her maid of honor was only trying to help, but as she went to clean up, she dropped her lipstick. And it fell right on front the bride's dress. There it was: a bright red streak that wouldn't come out! And it was too late to try anyway! The music had started! What would the guests think?! What about the pictures?!  How embarrassing!

This morning we hear a wedding story with a similar embarrassment… well, almost. Though this new bride and groom were in a potentially embarrassing situation, Jesus helped them. He performed a miracle to do it! When they ran out of wine, Jesus gave them more—turning water into wine. And in this, his first miracle, Jesus did more than help a couple out. He showed that he was a miracle worker and revealed his glory. He demonstrated that he had the power to help and that he had the desire to help, so you and I know that we can trust his help. Listen now to the account of Jesus' first miracle recorded for us in John 2:1-11…

 

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."

4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." 

5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.

8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."

They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." 

11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

 

I.              With the Power to Help in Every Need

 

Perhaps through his most recently added disciple, Nathaniel, who was from the town of Cana, or perhaps through his mother, whose home in Nazareth was less than 10 miles away, Jesus and his five or six disciples (at this point), received an invite to the festive celebration of this newly married couple. But this wedding, like most, was not without its faux pas.

John presents the problem rather briefly here. He simply says, "When the wine was gone." But what's the big deal? Couldn't they get something else to drink? Well, first remember that there weren't that many choices. With no refrigeration, your only options were really water or wine. That's it. Also remember that wedding receptions lasted more than a few hours like they do in our culture. It was often a week-long event held at the groom's house as he took his new bride into his home. That's a lot of wine to provide. And perhaps with some unexpected guests joining the celebration the couple quickly ran out.

Now this problem would more than just ruin the wedding photos. It was a serious social blunder that would ruin a person's reputation. Some commentaries even suggest that the couple could be fined by the community for this social blunder. This was enough to ruin the happy celebration and make the couple want to go hide.

 But how blessed they were to have Jesus as a guest! He stepped in to help out. With six large jars, used for the regular ceremonial washings a large crowd of Jews would continually need at a festival like this, Jesus provided a solution.

Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." …he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

What a great present Jesus gave this couple for their wedding! He didn't just bring them a bottle of wine, but gave them around 150 gallons of wine. And this wasn't the cheap stuff! This was no Boone's Farm! Jesus gave a higher quality wine than the couple could give their guests! And by his miracle Jesus not only saved the couple some embarrassment, but won for them compliments from the caterer. "You've saved the best till now!" And he revealed his glory—his power to help in their need.

 

And in this miracle he reveals his power to help you in your need. Do you ever wonder if Jesus really can help you out? Can he really help solve that problem at work? Can he really restore your broken relationship? Can he really take away the disease the doctors have diagnosed as terminal? In this, his first miracle, and in all his other miracles, Jesus displays his glory. He demonstrates that yes, he does indeed have the power to help. He has power over the laws of nature, power over sickness and disease, power over sin and death. He is the omnipotent God with power to do whatever he wants.

So how come we sometimes do suffer? Why does he let the cancer stay? Why doesn't he always use his power to help? Is it that he can, but doesn't want to help us? No. Jesus' miracle at Cana demonstrates his desire to help us in every need great or small…

 

II.            With the Desire to Help in Every Need

 

Jesus mother, Mary, relayed the couple's problem to Jesus, "When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." Now you might still be thinking, "What was the big deal? Who really cares if they ran out of wine? So what if they were embarrassed! This was nothing to complain about! This didn't need to ruin their wedding. Much worse has happened to many other couples on their wedding day. And this was certainly nothing to waste Jesus' time with! After all, there were people dying of leprosy and in extreme pain both physically and emotionally cut off from society. There were people going through life deaf, blind, crippled, and lame! There were people being possessed and controlled by demons and evil spirits! Who cared about a little wine!

But Jesus cared. This problem was not too big for his power. And it was not too little for him to care. He cared enough about this couple's "little" problem to act. He cared enough to make this wedding in Cana the location and setting of his first miracle, where few would see it and recognize him as the miracle-worker he was. Jesus did act because he loved this couple and so their problems, great or small, were important to him. He had the desire to help in every need.

 

And the same is true of our problems. We might not think outright, "This problem is too little for Jesus." But we do all too often neglect to take our worries and concerns to him. And what a mistake that is! As the hymn writer put it, "Oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!" Jesus cares about your problems big and little.

Author Richard Carlson, wrote a popular series of books beginning with one entitled Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (And It's All Small Stuff). And there's a lot of truth in what he writes. But to just say, "Don't sweat it," doesn't really help us deal with our problems. But to know that Jesus does sweat it over our problems—big and little—does allow us to rest easy. Jesus does care about your health, about your job, about your kids, about your grades, about your pets, about your car, about all of your problems because he cares about you. Jesus not only has the power to help, but desire to help in every situation. If it's a big enough problem to be a concern to you, it's big enough to take to Jesus.

 

And that's exactly what Mary did: When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." 4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." Now Jesus wasn't as harsh with his mother as it first seems. "Woman" was a respectful title. But there was a certain distance here. He didn't answer Mary the way she maybe expected. She went expecting him to act as her obedient son. But Jesus straightened things out. He told her, "My time has not yet come." He didn't refuse to act, just made it clear that his ministry wasn't subject to his mother. But note those two words, "not yet." Mary did, and she clung to them. "Not yet" didn't mean "no." It just meant "be patient." And trusting Jesus to do what was right in his own time and in his own way, his mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

 

And this answers our question: "If Jesus has the power to help in every need and if Jesus has the desire to help in every need, both big and small, why doesn't he always answer the way we want?" Well, simply put, "His time has not yet come."

Sometimes we go to Jesus like Mary did and want Jesus to fix our problems in our way and in our time. We say, "Jesus here's my problem: My health isn't great. My parents just don't understand me. The kids just won't behave. The paycheck isn't covering it all. My marriage is in trouble. Now, Jesus, what are you going to do about it? Fix it. Fix it my way. And fix it right now." But sometimes we're met with silence as Jesus says to us, "Not yet." "Be patient." He may not help us exactly when we want him to. He may not help us in the way we want him to. But he will help us.

Jesus might deliver you from your suffering and pain only in death when he takes you to glory. In which case, he says to you, "Be patient. I'll deliver you. But my time has not yet come. Not yet." He may have work for you to do still. So he won't deliver you yet. He may create opportunities for you to witness to others through the loss of your job, of your property, of your relationships, of your health. He may ask you to suffer for a while, but he will help you. Only sometimes he says, not yet. So, in spite of the pain and struggles you face, you can trust in Jesus to help you in every need…

 

III.           So Trust Him to Help in Every Need

 

What's the greatest miracle Jesus performed that day in Cana? Was it turning 150 gallons of water into 150 gallons of wine? Not really. Water turns into wine every day. The rain falls, is absorbed by roots, grown into grapes, crushed, fermented, and so on. Not to downplay a miracle of Jesus, but all he really did was accelerate the process. The really great miracle of that day is found in verse 11 of our text: "This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him."

Note the word John uses for what Jesus did. He doesn't use the word "wonder" or "marvel" like Matthew, Mark and Luke use. Instead, when he's describing a miracle he uses the word "sign." A sign is something that points to something else. This miracle wasn't great just for the sake of the miracle. After all, what does it really matter today that Jesus turned water into wine? We never got to drink any of it. But it is important to us! It does matter, because in that event Jesus revealed who he was. He revealed his glory! That's really why he did it.

And it worked. John reports that "his disciples put their faith in him." They saw the miracle. And their faith was deepened. Jesus was the Messiah. That they knew. But now they knew he was also the Son of God with both the power and the desire to help them. They put their faith—their trust—in him. And I can't help but think that this miracle had a similar impact on Mary, on the newlyweds (once they found out what Jesus had done for them), and on more than a few of their guests. The more they learned about Jesus the more they put their trust in him.

 

And the more we learn about Jesus, reading of these same miracles recorded for us in the Bible, the more our faith is strengthened and the more we trust him to help us in every need.  We see this miracle and know that he has the power and desire to help us in every need. We read the rest of the Gospels and learn of his greater power and desire to help us. His desire to help us was so great it led him to willingly suffer hell on a cross to pay for our sins. His power was so great he was able to not only turn water into wine, but to turn his perfect life into a robe of righteousness for us to wear, to turn his suffering and death into victory and life for us when he rose again.

And having learned of the great miracles he's done for us—creating faith in our stubborn hearts, forgiving us of our arrogance in telling God how to act in our lives, forgiving us for our doubt in second-guessing God's timetable—having learned of these great miracles, we've seen his glory revealed. And we put our trust in him. If he loves us that much—to live and die and rise for us—then we know we can trust him to always do what's best for us. Even if he doesn't provide us with gallons of wine, even if he doesn't heal your body or take away the pain, we know we can still trust him. He can help. He wants to help. He will help. Be patient. And trust in him. 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, January 11, 2016

Jesus is Revealed… As the Messiah (A sermon based on Luke 3:15-17,21-22)

"What's behind door #1? The anticipation is killing me! I can't to find out!" God's people waited in eager anticipation for the Messiah (the Anointed One) to be revealed. But it was finally time to find out who he was! The Messiah was revealed at his Baptism where he was anointed, not just with water, but with the Holy Spirit. And he's been revealed to us too! Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 and rejoice that you know who he is!

Jesus is Revealed…  As the Messiah

A sermon based on Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Sunday, January 10, 2016 – Baptism of Our Lord C

 

Maybe some of you have seen the game show on TV that was popular a few years back called, "Deal or No Deal." In this game, contestants either kept or sold a briefcase full of money to a group of bankers. But the catch was, they didn't know how much they had in the briefcase. They might have sold $1 for $1,000 or $10,000 for $1,000. They could try to figure it out, but they didn't know for sure until after the deal was made. Then, in eager anticipation, they would wait on the edge of their seats, so to speak, for the amount of money in their case to be revealed to see if their decision to make a deal or no deal was a good one.

That eager anticipation, waiting on the edge of the seat, biting the nails, the feeling the kids get the night before they get to open their Christmas presents—that was the feeling the believers felt in the day of John the Baptist. He got the crowds excited. He got them pumped up. "The Day is coming! The Messiah's almost here!" And they couldn't wait until he was revealed. Some were so excited, they even began to wonder if John wasn't the promised Messiah himself.

But John set them straight. He revealed that he wasn't the Messiah. He revealed that the Messiah would be one much more powerful than he—that the Messiah would be a righteous judge of whom even John wasn't worthy. And when John baptized Jesus in the Jordan, God revealed Jesus as the Messiah—the Anointed One—who had come to carry out God's plan of salvation. Listen to select verses of Luke 3 where Jesus is revealed as the Messiah…

 

15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. 16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." …

 21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

 

I.             By John the Baptist (v.15-17)

 

What an awesome preacher John the Baptizer must have been! He didn't hold back, but told it like it was! "Quit trusting in your ancestry to save you!" he told the Jews, God's chosen people. "You poisonous snakes!" he shouted at the most religious group of people there were. "What you're doing is a sin!" he cried, even to King Herod, a ruthless man of great power with the ability to imprison, even kill, John. No holds barred, he pulled all the stops and preached the law in all its force.

And the crowds came in droves. This was exactly what they wanted—someone who wouldn't hold back, someone who would confront the injustice and corruption they'd been living with head on. And he was awesome! So great in fact, that as the people anticipated the coming Christ, the Messiah, they began to wonder if just maybe John was it.

But, no! 16 John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." …

As it turns out, John was just the appetizer, not the main course! He was the opening band, not the main attraction! Someone else was coming—someone even greater than John—someone who would display more power, like the countless miracles Jesus performed, even raising the dead to life—someone who would baptize with the Holy Spirit directly and with fire, like Jesus did when he sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost—someone who even John was not worthy of, not even worthy enough to help him untie his shoes.

John pointed out in no uncertain terms that this someone was Jesus. The day after Jesus Baptism John made that clear. John 1 says, "29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said… 30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'  …the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." (John 1:29-31)

John revealed that Jesus, not himself, was the Messiah. And he revealed what the Messiah had come to do. "His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." John proclaimed that he had come to bring God's promised Judgment. That he would gather the wheat, his righteous believers into his barn, but the chaff—wicked sinners—he would burn up with the unquenchable fires of hell. Wow! Pretty scary stuff! God's just judgment was coming with the Messiah. And there was unquenchable fire awaiting those sinners who were on the wrong side.

And John's message can be a scary one for us too. Are we wheat? Or are we chaff? On our own, we are the chaff. If John called the Pharisees—the most righteous people of that society, the religion leaders—a brood of vipers, then how do we fare? In an ironic twist, we prove that we are just as self-righteous and sinful as they for even thinking, "Hey, come on now, I'm not that bad. I'm no Pharisee." By thinking we don't need Jesus as much as someone else, we show how worthy of the unquenchable fires of hell we really are.

Luke 3:18, which our lesson for this morning omits along with John's imprisonment by Herod, says, "18And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them." But "good news"? What "good news" did John have? Sounds like all law. But it wasn't. John had "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." (Mark 1:4) John pointed to Jesus as the one who would make that forgiveness possible. "Look, the Lamb of God," he said of Jesus, "who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

By becoming a human like us, by associating with sinners like us, by dying on a cross for sinners like us, by suffering hell there for sinners like us, Jesus took away the sins of the world. Jesus took away our sins. That's why the Messiah came! Now that's good news!

John clearly revealed who the Messiah was—Jesus. And he clearly revealed what he had come to do—to take away the sins of the world. But, how did John know about Jesus? God revealed to him that Jesus was the Messiah, the promised Christ, the Anointed One.  "32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." (John 1:32-34) It was in his baptism that God revealed Jesus for who he was…

 

II.            By God at His Baptism (v.21-22)

 

In the Greek the excited Luke describes Jesus' baptism in a big, excited, piled-up, run-on sentence…  21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Does it seem odd to you that Jesus, who was perfect and sinless in every way, was baptized? After all it was "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." (Mark 1:4) But Jesus didn't have any sins! He had nothing to repent of! It certainly seemed odd to John. Matthew tells us that "John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" [But] 15Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented." (Matthew 3:14-15)

Jesus was baptized for two reasons—both of which were "to fulfill all righteousness" for us. First, Jesus was baptized to associate himself with us sinners. In the book The Deputy the author describes the struggles of a Catholic priest in the Second World War. He tries to stir other priests to speak out against the atrocities against the Jews, even appealing to the Pope. But when his pleas all fall on deaf ears, the priest sews the six-pointed star on his sleeve, identifying himself as a Jew, and turns himself in to a concentration camp to die with those he'd been trying to save.

In a similar way, though Jesus wasn't sinner, just as that priest wasn't a Jew, he identified himself as a sinner. He took the fate that was ours. But the key difference is that while that priest could do nothing to save the Jews from Hitler's regime, Jesus could do something to save sinners from God's wrath. Jesus did do something.

That's the second reason Jesus was baptized—to mark the beginning of his mission to rescue sinners. There were only three offices that were inaugurated with an anointing. Can you name them? 1) the prophet, 2) the priest, and 3) the king.

Jesus was all three. As the perfect Prophet who would speak God's Word faithfully, saying all God wanted him to say, as the perfect Priest, who would sacrifice himself and give his very life to atone for mankind's sin, and as the perfect King, who would rule in believers' hearts and bring them a real and lasting peace, Jesus would be anointed. And he wasn't anointed with just oil, but with a special anointing.

Just as God prophesied through Isaiah in Isaiah 42:1, "Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations," God did put his Spirit on Jesus. He anointed him with the Spirit…

"Heaven was opened"— "torn open," Mark says (Mark 1:10)—"and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Jesus was revealed as the Anointed One—the Christ, the Messiah. And what a perfect Messiah he was. God said of him that he was "well pleased." Of whom among us could God ever speak like this? On our own, no one. In our sin, we are not well-pleasing to God, but detestable to him. He sees the filth of our sin and is repulsed by it. And in that sin, a just and holy God has no choice but to burn up the chaff in unquenchable fire.

But that's not our fate, dear friends, because through Christ, the Messiah, we are sinless. In our baptisms, Jesus' perfection has become our own. In our baptisms God saved us, as Paul wrote to Titus, "not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy… through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit… so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:5-7)

That's why it's such a comfort to hear God the Father say of his Son, "I love him. I am well pleased with him." Since we are baptized in Christ, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit—that same Triune God that was present at Jesus' baptism, we are reborn. We are renewed. We are justified and declared to be righteous, sinless, and innocent. We are heirs of eternal life.

And you're not left wondering if there's a better deal. You've already got the best deal there is because what God said of Jesus at his baptism, he now says of you: "You are my child, whom I love. With you I am well pleased."

Rejoice, dear friends, in the baptism of our Lord and in your baptism! And wait in anticipation—in eager expectation—of that day when Christ comes to gather us, his righteous wheat, into his heavenly barn. And in the meantime, live each day of your life in thanks to God for revealing to you Jesus, the Messiah—your Savior from sin. And do your part to reveal the Messiah to those who don't yet recognize him for who he is. God help us for Jesus' sake, 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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Monday, January 4, 2016

How Far Would You Go? (A sermon based on 1 Kings 10:1-9)

To what extremes would you go to accomplish your goals in life? What are you willing to do to make those New Year's resolutions come true? How far would you go? How far would you go to honor Jesus? Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on 1 Kings 10:1-9 and hear how far the queen of Sheba was willing to go. Then be encouraged to go the distance to show your thanks to your Savior too.

How Far Would You Go?

A sermon based on 1 Kings 10:1-9

Sunday, January 3, 2015 – Epiphany C

 

To what extremes would you go to accomplish your goals in life? Would you give up sugar and wheat to get healthier? Not just for a diet, but as a lifestyle? Would you sell your TV to get out of debt? Would you sell your car? Are you willing to get up an hour earlier to make those New Year's resolutions come true? How far would you go?

How far would you go to honor Jesus?

This morning we celebrate Epiphany. It's sometimes called the Gentile's Christmas. It's a day set aside to thank God that he has revealed himself as the Savior of not just the Jews, but of the Gentiles or non-Jews too. It's often spent focused on the Magi or Wise Men who came from the East. We often make a lot of assumptions about those Wise Men and ironically, have no idea how far they traveled. We don't know where they started. It just says, "from the East."

But we do have another account in the Bible of a woman who showed just how far she was willing to go to worship the true God. The queen of Sheba heard about Solomon and his "relation to the name of the Lord." And she wanted to know more. How far would she go? She would go to any lengths to know more of Solomon and his wealth, and of his God.

How far would you go? To what extremes would you go to learn more about God and his eternal love for you? To what extent would you put yourself out to worship him? Our text for this morning is recorded for us in 1 Kings 10:1-9…

 

When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

6 She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness."

 

Almost all modern scholars agree that Sheba was in southwest Arabia, modern day Yemen. That's 1,367 miles from Jerusalem. To put that into perspective, that's further than it is from here to Prudhoe Bay. And the queen of Sheba couldn't fly to Jerusalem. She couldn't drive.

And yet, here's a woman willing to travel in a camel-drawn caravan, not just to see the glamour of the King's life, but to learn more about the true God.

"When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions…" She wanted to have her questions about his God answered. And what really took her breath away? The relationship Solomon had with his God. "When the queen of Sheba saw… the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed."

 So in the end she praised God: "Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness."

And if you're still doubting that the queen of Sheba was a believer, listen to Jesus' own words in Matthew 12:42: "The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here."

Incredible, isn't it? That this woman who lived 1,367 miles away from Jerusalem should even know the true God. Perhaps one of Solomon's merchant ships carried the news to Southern Arabia. Incredible, isn't it? That this woman who lived 1,367 miles away from Jerusalem should come to believe that this God of Israel was the true and only God? The Holy Spirit is amazing in his work! Incredible, isn't it? That this woman who lived 1,367 miles away from Jerusalem should travel so far to learn more about God and to worship him.

 

How far would you be willing to go to worship God? How far is your drive in to church? (In your heated vehicle?) Not even 100 miles is it? But what if the only church was in Anchorage? Would you still worship as often as you do? What if it was up in Prudhhoe Bay? Would you go then?

Well, the truth is your church isn't that far away. It's only a few miles for most. So how far are you willing to go to grow in your faith? Are you willing to make the trip in twice a week? Or is that too far to go so often?

The truth is, you don't even have to go that far to grow in your faith. You all have Bibles in your own homes. You can get a free app for your phone. You can get meditations and audio Bibles. You don't have to leave your bed to learn more about your Savior. But are you willing to even go that far to pick up the phone and read a few chapters of God's love letter to you?

Sadly we don't like to be inconvenienced even a little, let alone willing to travel 1,367 miles to worship our Savior. What little love we show to him.

Imagine you're the owner of a small business. And as your business grows, you hire a few more staff. But one of your employees refuses to do any of the work they were told to do unless you stand right over their shoulder threatening to fire them unless they did it. He never takes any initiative to do anything on his own. He's unwilling to be inconvenienced in the slightest for the sake of the company. What would you do? Of course you'd fire him! He wouldn't be in your employment for long, would he?

Well, we deserve to be fired by God for our apathy toward him and his Word. We deserve the fires of hell for refusing to be inconvenienced in our selfish pursuits in order to serve him. We deserve to be sent more than 1,367 miles away from God, but to spend eternity banished from him and his heaven.

 

That's what we deserve. But we don't get it because the queen of Sheba wasn't the only one willing to travel so far, with such commitment, passion, and zeal. There was another who traveled even further to save you and me.

How far would Jesus go to save us? He left heaven to come to earth. That distance is infinitely greater than 1,367 miles. He left his glory to be born in a stable, to live in poverty, to take the abuse of other men. He traveled with determined resolution every step that took him to the cross—to separation from God the Father in a hell we can never imagine—to pay for our apathy, our selfishness, our every sin—to keep us not just in his company, but in his family!

And what's more, he sent the Holy Spirit to travel to the ends of the earth to carry that Gospel message to you and me. I don't know if you can get much further away from Jerusalem than Alaska! Yet, he sent missionaries, pastors, and teachers all the way here to share with us that mystery now revealed: that God's grace is for all! It's for Arabic queens, for Eastern scholars, for Roman Gentiles, and for you and me!

We don't have to travel to Jerusalem to learn about Jesus. The Gospel has been brought to us all the way out here in Alaska. His grace is more like UPS than the Post Office. When a package comes to the Post Office, I get a pink slip that tells me I have to drive in to Kenai to pick it up. But with UPS the brown truck comes up my driveway and the driver brings the package right to my door.

That's what God has done for you with the Gospel—he's delivered it right to your doorstep—because nothing would stop him from rescuing you and bringing you into his family! And nothing will stop him from rescuing you and bringing you into his heaven. That's how far he's willing to go for you!

"Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you…" not just on a throne, but into his family through your "relation to the name of the Lord"! Who will give you not just a little wealth, but the riches of heaven! And right now, you have the Lord's eternal love because of Christ our King who maintained God's perfect justice and yet still made us righteous and holy! (cf. Romans 3:21-26)

 

So, how far are you willing to go to thank him? Would you be willing to give back to him some of the gifts he's given to you? And because of the Lord's eternal love for you, he has blessed you with so much! You have many things that the queen of Sheba and King Solomon never dreamed of: Motorized vehicles, refrigerators with foods they'd never imagined, we have TV's and microwaves, computers and smart phones, tools at our disposal to free up more time to serve God.

And in a sense, we even have more wisdom than Solomon. We have seen the prophecies fulfilled. We have the New Testament. We know exactly what Jesus did to pay for our sin where he had only vague notions. In wisdom and wealth, you have far exceeded… Solomon!

So let's use our free time, let's use our wisdom, let's use our wealth to do all we can to serve our Savior in thanks for the way he served us. Let's bring our very best to him just as the queen of Sheba gave her best gifts to King Solomon. Let's offer such great sacrifices of thanks to him that when others see them they are just overwhelmed as the queen of Sheba was at Solomon's sacrifices!

How far would you go? We would go to any lengths, we would travel any distance, we would go to any extreme to show our thanks to Jesus for going to such great lengths, and traveling so far, for enduring the extremities of hell for us. We'll gladly give him, our time, our money, our skills, our energy, ourselves, our very lives, to learn more of his grace and to serve him in thanks!


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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Saturday, January 2, 2016

Resolve to Live for the Lord (A sermon based on Romans 14:7-9)

Do you make New Year's resolutions? If so, the Apostle Paul would encourage you to add this resolution to your list: "Resolve to live for the Lord." Thankful for the way he was resolved to live and die for you, thankful that you know that if you die in 2016 you die in the Lord, now we are encouraged to live for the Lord in all we think and say and do in 2016. We're encouraged to live for the Lord as we live to serve those around us. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Romans 14:7-9 and...

(Note: Click here for the bulletin insert referenced in the sermon.)

Resolve to Live for the Lord

A sermon based on Romans 14:7-9

Thursday, December 31, 2015 – New Year's Eve

 

Who do you work for? Tesoro? Grace Lutheran? Are you enjoying your retirement?

My dad used to tell people he worked for the mechanic down the street. Now, Dad's never been a grease monkey and could only do the most basic of repairs. He sold men's shoes at a department store to earn his paycheck. What he meant was that all his money seemed to be going to the mechanic down the street, so it really seemed like he worked for him.

Likewise, we don't work for Tesoro, Grace, or in retirement. Not really. We work for the Lord. We live for him. At least that's how we ought to view our work. But sadly, we all live for ourselves far too much. We work to get money to spend on ourselves, to have a more comfortable life, to have more fun. We live selfishly.

Paul wrote to the Christian church at Rome to encourage them to stop living life so selfishly. Instead they ought to look out for the best interest of others. He encouraged them to stop living for themselves, but instead to resolve to live to the Lord.

And Paul gave them the power to do it: As they focused on the Lord and how he lived and died for them, as they remembered that they belonged to him, as they found comfort knowing that when they died they would die in him, they would find the motive, the courage, and strength to live for him.

As we are about to begin a new year, many people are making new resolutions, commitments that they want to keep to do better in the new year. This evening, let the apostle encourage you to add this to your list of resolutions: Resolve to live for the Lord in 2016 and beyond.

Our text for this evening is from Romans 14:7-9…

 

7 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

 

One young couple came in to see their pastor for marriage counseling. They both had the same complaint. "Pastor, we don't think we can do this anymore. It literally feels like we're dying in this marriage."

The pastor confirmed, "Really? It feels like you're dying?"

"Yes," they both confirmed. "It feels like a little piece of us is dying inside every day."

The pastor's response shocked them. "Great!" he said, "That's exactly how it's supposed to be!" Confused they looked at each other then back to him. He clarified. "That's exactly what marriage is supposed to be: the death of self and selfishness as you learn to live for someone else."

You get where that couple was coming from though, don't you? Because too often we live only for ourselves. And when others don't do what we want them to, when their selfishness conflicts with ours, something's got to give. Someone isn't going to get their way.

That was the problem in Rome. The Christians at the church in Rome weren't getting along very well. They were showing little concern for the way their actions would impact others. "Who cares what they think? I have the freedom to do what I want," was their attitude. They were looking down on others who didn't think as they did and showed no concern for those who were weak.

Sound familiar? It does to me. Too often I act in a way that is pleasing to me with little concern of what the impact will be on others. "Who cares what they think? I know I'm right."

Too often all of us behave this way with our spouses, with our co-workers, with our children, with our parents, with our siblings… with God. When we ought to be dying to our selfishness and learning to live for others, when God demands that we live him, we too often live only to ourselves.

And just as we have lived only for ourselves, we deserve to die all by ourselves. We deserve to have an eternity of ever-increasing, all-consuming selfishness in hell where all we care about is ourselves and our loathing for anyone else grows as our bitterness overwhelms. We shouldn't have even made it this long. That we survived 2015 and that we're still here and not in hell right now is only by God's grace.

 

But his grace has done so much more for us! Jesus didn't live to himself alone, but he lived to serve the Father and he lived to serve us. He lived a perfect life of self-sacrifice as he thought only of what was in our best interest. He lived to earn a perfect score for us. And, ironically, the only one who deserved to live with God forever in paradise, did die by himself. He was literally all alone on that cross. Even God the father forsook him. He endured the loneliest hell that only we deserve so that we will never have to be alone.


Now we know that if any of us should die in 2016, we die to the Lord. That is, we die in him and through faith in him, we are sinless and holy in God's sight, and fit for heaven. We belong to the Lord! We know this is true because he rose again. "For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living." Our sin has been forgiven! Death has lost its sting! If we die, we still live! We live to the Lord!

So right now, we can die to our selfishness and we can live to the Lord each day…

 

When they were bickering and fighting in Rome, each person wanting to get his or her own way, Paul lovingly reminded them, "It's not about you anymore. You don't belong to you anymore. You belong to the Lord. He rescued you. He redeemed you. But now you're his. You live, not to get your own way, but to serve him."

And Paul gave them the motive and the power they needed to live to the Lord instead of to themselves when he reminded them of the Gospel. It wasn't something they had to do as if it were a burden or pain. It was something they got to do as they sacrificed themselves for the one they loved, for the one who lived for them, died for them, who returned to life for them!

If only that young couple who came to their pastor because it felt like they were dying understood! If each would gladly sacrifice what they wanted and die to self to serve the other, what a beautiful marriage they would have!

We know what our Savior sacrificed for us as he lived and died and rose for us! Now we're eager to sacrifice ourselves for him. We're eager to sacrifice ourselves to serve others. And we can do it because we know that we belong to the Lord. He will provide all that we need and more. We don't need to be worried anymore that we won't have enough if we give too much of ourselves away, that our needs won't be met if we only seek to meet the needs of others. We know that we have Jesus and that we belong to him and that he will perfectly provide all that we need.

And so we resolve to live for the Lord in 2016. We resolve to live for him as we grow in our faith. Resolve to be in worship more than you were in 2015. Or resolve to spend more time in the Word. Sign up tonight to get daily devotions emailed to you (at WhatAboutJesus.com or search for "WELS Daily Devotions") or pick up a copy of Mediations resolve to read it each day in 2016. Read one chapter of your Bible each day. There are 260 chapters in the New Testament. That's just one chapter a day, Monday through Friday, taking Sundays off and using Saturday to catch up any you might have missed. You'll read through the whole New Testament in 2016.

Then resolve to live for him as you serve others. Write down a list of people in your life: spouse, parents, kids, co-workers, neighbors, friends. Then next to each name, come up with a way that you can serve them better, not to get something out of them, but just to give as you live, not for yourself, but for your Savior. Think of ways in which you can help strengthen their faith.

Resolve to live to yourself less in 2016 and to live for the Lord more. If you want, resolve to lose a few pounds. But don't just do it so that you look better and feel good about yourself. Do it so that you have more energy and more years to serve your Savior better and longer. If you want, resolve to get your finances in order. But don't do it just so you feel more financially secure and can get more of the stuff you want. Do it so you will be able to give more generously. If you want, resolve to get more organized. But don't do it just so you have more control of your life. Do it so that you might show more hospitality in serving others.

Resolve to live to yourself less, and to live to the Lord more. He lived for you. He died for you. He lives again for you. So you know that if you die this year or this evening, you die to the Lord! You will go to be with him in glory! If you live another year, live for the Lord and serve him in thanks. And as you do, he will provide for all that you need. And what a beautiful relationship it will be!

Tonight as you go to bed, you may pray that familiar prayer, "Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep." And you can add that comforting truth that if you die, you die to the Lord: "If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." And you can be confident that he will. But don't end the prayer there. Add one more line: "If I should live for many days, I pray the Lord to guide my ways." And resolve to live for the Lord. In his name, dear friends, amen.

 

(Note: Click here for the bulletin insert referenced in the sermon.)

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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