Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Entitled, Enlightened, and Enslaved (A sermon based on 1 Corinthians 9:7-12, 19-23)

Do you ever feel entitled? Like people owe you something just because... well... just because? As sinners, the only thing we're entitled to is punishment from God. We're entitled to hell and nothing more and nothing less. Nevertheless, because Jesus gave up the heaven he really was entitled to, we are rescued from our sin and the damnation we deserve. Having been enlightened to those wonderful gospel truths and having been given a new title of "Ambassador for Christ," we are now eager to be enslaved to all people, gladly giving up our rights to share the gospel message with as many as we can. Entitled, enlightened, and enslaved. That describes us. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on 1 Corinthians 9:7-12, 19-23 and be encouraged by God's grace to you! 

Entitled, Enlightened, and Enslaved

A sermon based on 1 Corinthians 9:7-12, 19-23

Sunday, October 22, 2017 – Pentecost 20B

 

Do you get the sense that more and more Americans have a feeling of entitlement? Do you hear more and more expecting, even demanding, that they be given things because… well, just because they expect it?

Can you think of anyone in the Bible who had such a sense of entitlement more than the prodigal son? In essence, this is what he said to his dad: "Dad, one third of your estate belongs to me. I'm entitled to it just by being your son. It doesn't matter that I didn't earn it, that I didn't work for it. It's mine the second you die. And I can't wait for that moment to happen! I wish it were now already! I wish, dad, that you were dead right now so that I could get what's coming to me today." What a spoiled brat! What an entitled punk!

You know who else in the Bible was entitled? The apostle Paul. But he didn't just have an attitude of entitlement. He really was entitled to get paid for the work that he did. That's what he explains in the first half of our text for this morning. But far from having an attitude of entitlement, Paul willingly gave up what he was actually entitled to. He willingly chose to give up what was rightfully his so he could become a slave. It sounds crazy, doesn't it? But he did all this because he had been enlightened to the Gospel that God had revealed to him. Instead of acting entitled, he would choose to be enslaved to God and to everyone else out of thanks to God for the Gospel. And he would do all he could to further the spread of that Gospel.

We too, have been entitled. We've had an attitude of entitlement thinking we're somehow owed something from God. But we've been enlightened to the forgiveness that's our in Christ. And so we too willingly choose to give up what we think we deserve and what we actually earn to further the spread of that Gospel. We too willingly become slaves to God and others to share his love with them. We are entitled, enlightened, and enslaved. Our text for consideration this morning is taken from 1 Corinthians 9:7-12, and 19-23…

 

7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 8 Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

 

19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

 

Does it seem to you that more and more people are getting an attitude of entitlement for things they're not really entitled to? My dad had a T-shirt with a picture of the capitol building that read "Contrary to popular belief, no one owes you anything." There are a lot of entitled people out there, aren't there? But… before we talk about the entitled people on welfare, expecting that someone take care of them without them doing any work… before we talk about those who would prefer a handout to hand up, let me ask you this: Do you ever act entitled?

I think of this every time we Alaskans get our PFDs (Permanent Fund Dividends). It's money given to us that we didn't work for, that we didn't earn, but somehow feel we deserve and are entitled to. And it's not just PFDs…

Do you deserve good things in your life? Why do you deserve them? What did you do to earn them? Was it all of your hard work that brought you where you are today? Are you a self-made man or woman? Is it because you've studied so hard that you make such great grades? Or are you forgetting that it wasn't your choice that you were born at this time (and not in the so-called Dark Ages, where education wasn't an option) and in this place (where you have not only the freedom to rise, but the food and health and opportunity to do so)? Are you forgetting who gave you the health to work, the economy to find employment, the intellect to learn and grow?

Don't you and I often act like we're entitled to God's blessings when we expect and demand them from him even while we ignore his Word, his will, his command to do all we can to take the message of his grace to the world? What's your title? CEO? CFO? Manager? Supervisor? Pastor? Well in God's sight, the title we all deserve is this: "Sinner."

What do entitled and spoiled brats deserve? To stop getting handouts from daddy or their government. They deserve to have the credit cards taken away, the cars taken away, the freedoms taken away. Likewise, what do we who bear the title "Sinner" deserve? We are entitled to nothing. We deserve to have God stop giving us his blessings. We deserve to be kicked out of his house in heaven. We deserve hell. That is all we are entitled to. That we are alive this very moment here on earth instead of there in hell is only by God's grace, not giving us sinners what we are entitled to receive.

 

Paul was entitled. He was entitled to get paid. "If we have sown spiritual seed among you," he said, "is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more?"

Nevertheless, Paul didn't demand to get what he was entitled to receive. Instead he gave it up. Instead he willingly chose to serve others. Why? Because he was enlightened. Though he too once thought he deserved everything good from God because of how good he was... "If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh," he wrote, "I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless." (Philippians 3:4-6). Nevertheless, he soon came to realize what he really was, what he was really entitled to, and what God had done for him. He late wrote: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst." (1 Timothy 1:15)

And because Christ saved him and because Christ enlightened him on that road to Damascus, Paul came to see that he was not under the law, obligated to keep it to earn God's favor. He was free from God's law. And because he rejoiced in this freedom, he willingly put himself under Christ's law. Knowing the gospel message that set him free, he was eager to do all he could to show his thanks to God.

And friends, our faith that grasps God's grace and rejoices in the truth that because of Jesus' perfect life in our place and because of Jesus' innocent death in our place we don't get the punishment we're entitled to… that faith can't help but respond to God in thanks. So just as Paul, having been enlightened, gladly became enslaved and "[made himself] a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible…" even "though [he was] free and belong to no man…" so too, we who once had such an attitude of entitlement, now, having been enlightened, are eager to become enslaved.

We too will gladly give up our freedoms, our dollars, our rights, to serve others that we might serve him who first served us. And having been set free from our sins, and having been enlightened through the eyes of faith, we have been given a new title too. We are declared to be, "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9) We have been given a job to do: "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us." (2 Corinthians 5:20) And we are committed to that job.

Like Paul, we will, "become all things to all [people] so that by all possible means [we] might save some." We will gladly give up our money, our comfort, our convenience, our rights and our entitlements… we will gladly give up our freedom, or lives, our very selves, eager to spend all we have and be spent in our relentless efforts, "to win as many as possible" and "save some."

And that can start right in our own homes. Are you entitled to a little rest for all the hard work you've done around the house? Give up that right! And gladly serve your spouse for Jesus' sake. Do you deserve some time to play some games and goof around because of all the homework you did? Give up that right! And gladly serve your parents or your siblings. Are you entitled to serve yourself for a bit for all the work you've done for God? Even if that were true, which you know it isn't, we'd still gladly give up our rights, and "put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ." "Though [we are] free and belong to no man, [we] make [ourselves] a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible."

For we, who once acted like entitled, self-centered brats and deserved only hell, have now been enlightened and have seen how Christ saved us, are now eager to be enslaved to others that we might serve God and bring more to him. For though we were entitled, we have been enlightened, and we've been given the title of royal ambassadors and are eager to be enslaved to  all to carry out that task. Entitled, enlightened, and enslaved: That's us, for Jesus' sake. 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

Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, October 15, 2017

This Sword Cuts Both Ways (A sermon based on Hebrews 4:12-13)

What's mightier than the sharpest sword? What's more powerful than dynamite? What powerful tool is readily available to you in your home or on the web? It's the living and active Word of God, sharper than any double-edged sword. And it has the power to cut you down with the law quicker than anything else. But this sword cuts another way too. Like a sharp scalpel in the hand of a skilled surgeon, God's Word has the power to cut out the malignant growth of your sin and make you healthy and whole! What a powerful gift from God! Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Hebrews 4:12-13 and rejoice that...

This Sword Cuts Both Ways

A sermon based on Hebrews 4:12-13

Sunday, October 15, 2017 – Pentecost 19B

 

"Where is the justice in the world? If God is really a loving God, then why doesn't he end the evil, end the violence, end the injustice?!"

"That sword cuts both ways," the man answered his friend.  "If you want God to bring justice to the world, do you want him to bring justice against you?! That sword cuts both ways, friend."  

It reminds me of the scene in the Road to Emmaus movie where one of the disciples asks Jesus, "When they were about to execute him, why didn't [Jesus] put a stop to it?! If he was the Messiah couldn't he just destroy his enemies and all the wicked?"

"You mean… like the flood?" Jesus asks.

"Yes! The flood!" the disciple replies. "Why didn't he just wipe out all the evil people?! Another flood or… something?!"

And Jesus responds, "Wipe out the evil people? And who would be left, my friend? …Are you without sin?"

In a sense, Jesus told that Emmaus disciple, "That sword cuts both ways."

It's true that God's sword cuts both ways. His word is sharper than a double-edged sword. And when we want to throw out accusations against others, it cuts us with the law that hurts and stings …and kills. But God's Word cuts both ways in another sense: it doesn't just cut like a sword to kill, it also cuts like a scalpel to remove the malignant growth and to heal. Thank God for his powerful Word that cuts both ways. Our text for consideration this morning is from Hebrews 4:12-13…  

 

12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

 

Now you can probably tell just by looking at me that I have been engaged in a tiring battle. It's the Battle of the Bulge. Nearing 40, my metabolism is slowing. I don't think it was ever super fast to begin with, but it seem like now more than ever, whatever I put in my mouth shows up on my sides. And if it's not obvious by the bathroom scale, the bathroom mirror tells what we call, "God's honest truth." Hi. My name is Rob. And I'm pudgy.

And I know that I'm not alone in a somewhat compromised body image—an image that would make most of us pretty uncomfortable to stand naked before others.

Now, I know this next illustration may be troublesome, even traumatic, for some. But I'm going to risk it anyway to give you a picture of what God is saying to us this morning.

I want you to imagine that you live in ancient times. And while you're relaxing at home, you hear a knock at the door. When you go to answer and open the door, you see a Roman soldier standing outside. Before you get a chance to respond, he grabs you by the arm and yanks you into the street in front of your house. He grabs the front of your shirt and pulls down so hard that he rips it away. He pulls out his gladius, that sharp, double-edged short sword and presses it against your skin, between you and your clothes. And with a sudden draw, he cuts off the clothes that you're wearing. There you stand, in front of your house, with all of your neighbors watching, now completely naked. Then the soldier grabs you by the hair, pulls your head back, and pressed his gladius against your throat.

That, as uncomfortable as it is, is the picture the author to the Hebrews paints for us of what God's law does to us. We stand before, not just a Roman soldier, but before God totally naked. Where the NIV says, "Everything is uncovered," the Greek says, "Everything is gymnos," that is, naked. In fact, I don't know if you knew this, but our English word, gymnasium means "a place where athletes are trained… naked." Thankfully "gym class" and "gymnastics" today aren't done the way they were in ancient Greece.

Then the word that is translated, "laid bare," comes from a Greek idiom which "refers to bending back the neck of a sacrificial victim to make ready for the final stroke." [1]

That's what God's Word does to us. "It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." And the Greek word for "judges" is kritikos, the word from which we get our English, critical or critique. It critiques our thoughts and attitudes and it leaves us naked and vulnerable as God reads our every fleeting thought, every moment of hatred or lust or greed. And as the score cards go up, we see a zero… another zero… another zero.

And there's nothing we can do to cover up. No excuse, no penance, no amends can cover our naked vulnerability before God, the Judge of all.  And we know what judgment we deserve: "This sinner stands condemned before God and is sentenced to an eternity of shame away from him, an eternity of torment in hell." That's what we deserve. And there's no arguing it. There's covering it up on our own.

If you watch the news, read the headlines, skim the Facebook posts and then want to cry "Foul!" and declare God unjust in failing to punish the wicked… then remember, friends, that sword cuts both ways. You're really asking God, who sees you naked, to punish you, who have been wicked in, "the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." "Wipe out the evil people? And who would be left, my friend? …Are you without sin?"

You see how God's word cuts us down in our stubborn and foolish pride and leads us to repent of our sin just as it did with Peter's Pentecost audience: "They were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'"

 

And thank God for it! It leads us to ask that same question. "What shall we do?" And thank God that he answers that question in his Word too. He tells us that we don't need to do anything, that Christ did it all, that we don't get the justice that we so foolishly ask for! Because, instead of sending the sword against us, he sent the sword against his own Son in our place.

"The word of God is living and active." And, in that Word, God reveals how he sent his own Son to come to earth in our place. And Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life that could totally withstand the scrutiny and critique of God the Father himself, who deemed it perfect and worthy of life with him. Yet, nevertheless, he was stripped naked, totally exposed, as Roman soldiers gambled over his inner garment after they nailed him to a cross. And there he was critiqued; judged by God the Father as guilty—guilty for all of our shameful words and deeds and our, "thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  

And there on that cross, Jesus' throat was exposed, so to speak, as the Lamb of God who became the sacrificial victim to whom the final stroke was delivered. He endured the shame, the vulnerability, and the hell that we deserved on that cross to rescue us from it. That's what that living and active Word of God reveals to us.

And by Jesus' perfect sacrifice for us, our sin has been removed. You see, the Word of God doesn't just cut us down with the sword of the law, shaming us into repentance. It cuts another way too. It cuts out our sin with the scalpel of the gospel, removing that which ails and kills, making us healthy and whole. In that sense, this sword cuts both ways.

And by Jesus' perfect sacrifice for us, we have been covered. Just as Adam's nakedness was covered by the skin of an animal killed for him (see Genesis 3:21), so our spiritual nakedness before God is covered by Christ, killed for us. Paul wrote in Galatians 3(:26-27), "So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." This fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 61:10: "I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."

So now when God looks at us, he doesn't see us naked and exposed with all of our sin hanging out for him to see. But he see's Christ and his perfect righteousness that covers our guilt and shame with his holy righteousness. We look sinless to God the Father and, as such, fit for heaven. This is what the living and active Word of God reveals to us.

And now, in thanks to God for what he's done for us in Christ—in cutting away our sin and covering our nakedness with his righteousness—we are eager to share the message of his grace with others to clothe them too. And what a powerful tool we have to carry out the mission entrusted to us: We have the most powerful thing in the world at our disposal: God's living and active Word. And though its results are not always loud, immediate, and as dramatic as lesser powers like dynamite, and though it can be resisted, nevertheless, the Word of God is powerful. It does work. And while we may not see the results in spectacular ways as it worked at Pentecost, there will be results for faithful teaching and preaching of God's Word because God has invested his Word with power.

And as we share it and invite others to come and hear it here, they too will be cut by the sword of the law. Their pride will be cut down as God's law exposes them and their sin. But they too will have their sin cut away by the scalpel of the gospel. And they too will be clothed with Jesus' righteousness. The sword will cut both ways for them too. So use that powerful tool at home, at work, and with your friends. "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword…" In Jesus' name, dear friends, amen.


​
In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

[1] Clean L. Rogers, Jr., The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament, Zondervan Publishing House, 1998.


​
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


Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Christians Revere Christ (A sermon based on Ephesians 5:21—6:4)

Do you wish there were more reverence for the American flag in the NFL? Do you wish there were more reverence for human life as people are shot and killed and aborted daily? Do you wish there were more reverence in your own home? It all starts with finding reverence for Christ. If we revere him as we ought and show thanks to him for the reverence he first showed to us, we will also show reverence to each other. And it starts in our own communities and our own homes. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Ephesians 5:21-6:4 and learn to revere others out of reverence for Christ. 

Christians Revere Christ

A sermon based on Ephesians 5:21—6:4

Sunday, October 8, 2017 – Pentecost 18B

 

You can't give yourself a nickname and expect it to stick. Believe me, I've tried. The "Faster Pastor" hasn't really stuck… well, except as a joke. And I can't seem to get "Rev Rob" to take hold either. Maybe because Rev is short for Reverend. And I can't get people to refer to me as "the one we revere and hold in high esteem."

But what does that word, reverend, mean? What is it to revere someone or something? Webster's Dictionary defines "reverence" as "1: honor or respect felt or shown… especially: profound adoring awed respect… 2: a gesture of respect (as a bow)."

Now, I don't think I'm getting any of you to bow to me when I walk into the room. But I don't really feel slighted for it. In fact, reverence is something in short supply everywhere these days, isn't it? Not much reverence is shown the United States flag at college and professional football games. Not much reverence is given to the office of the President of the United States, let alone the man who currently holds that office. Not much reverence was given to human life in Las Vegas last Sunday night, or is givenat any abortion clinic on any given day.

But while it's easy to look at the headlines and think "Where is the respect and honor?  Where is the adoring? Where has all the reverence gone?!" God would encourage you to look into your own home and into your own mirror and ask those same questions. Where is the reverence at home? Where is the honor a wife shows her husband? Where is the awe husband shows to wife? Where is the respect children show their parents? And in all of this he wants to ask, "Where is the reverence for Christ?"

Thank God, friends, that Jesus showed us such honor that he willingly humbled himself and sacrificed his very life for us to make us holy and blameless. And it is his sacrifice that moves us to revere him. Simply put, Christians revere Christ. Our text for consideration is taken from Ephesians 5:21—6:4…

21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— 3 "that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

4 Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

 

How well, wives, do you revere your husbands? Do you give them unconditional honor and respect as Christ calls you to do? I know it can be hard to submit to them in everything as if submitting to Christ, especially because they're sinners and, unlike Christ, their leadership will be lacking. I know it can be hard to respect your husband unconditionally when he doesn't earn that respect. But, nevertheless, that's what God calls you to do. And that's what you signed on for when you said, "I do." After all, marriage isn't your idea. It's God's. And he defines the rules. Have you revered God in the way you show reverence to your husbands?

Husbands, have you loved your wives as much as Christ loved the church—willing to sacrifice anything and everything for her benefit? Have you always put her needs above of your own? That's what Christ did for us. I know it can be hard to show such love to her, especially when she shows such little respect to you. But that's what God calls you to do and that's what you signed on for when you said, "I do." Have you revered God in the way you show reverence to your wives?

Kids, do you always obey your parents? Do you give them the honor that they deserve? I know you didn't sign on for them as your parents. You didn't get a choice in the matter. But God chose them for you. He gave you the parents that you have. When you obey them and give them love and respect, you're doing the same to God. But have you always revered God in the way you revere your parents?

Parents, have you done all you can to keep your charge from God to bring up your children in the Lord? Actually, if they're baptized, they're not even really your children. They've been adopted by God and belong to him. You're just babysitting for him. And you will have to answer to him for the way they're raised. Have you always revered God in the way you revere that high calling to raise your kids?

And singles, even though you're not in your own family unit right now, you can still revere your parents, and you can still revere God's gift of marriage, by honoring the marriage bed and refraining from "playing married" until you actually are. Save yourself for marriage. Save yourself for your future spouse. And in doing so you will show reverence to God. But have you always revered God in the way you revere his gifts of marriage and family?

You see, all of us have failed to revere God in the way we interact with family and friends. And every time we sin against our spouse, our parents, or our kids, every time we sin against God's gift of marriage in our thoughts or in our actions, we're really sinning against God. We fail to show him the reverence—the holy awe, respect, and honor, that he deserves, not only as the Almighty Creator of the universe, but as our heavenly Father who has blessed us with so much. We show him our utter contempt as we live to serve ourselves instead of him. And for it we deserve death. We deserve hell.

Ah, but consider how much God revered us. He honored us by sending his own Son to take our punishment for every time we've refused to submit—to one another, and to him. Jesus had so much respect for us, sinful rebels that we are, that he submitted to the Father in our place. He loved us so much that he gave himself up for us on the cross as the perfect once for all sacrifice that made us holy! He washed us clean of our sin in baptism—"by the washing with water through the word"—he's made us, who were once filthy with sin to be radiant, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, holy and blameless.

It reminds me of that old reality TV show "Extreme Makeover," where ordinary men and women underwent "extreme makeovers" with plastic surgery, exercise regimens, waxing, plucking, hairdressing, and new wardrobes which transformed them from "ugly ducklings" into handsome and beautiful men and women. Except, what God had to work with was so much worse—we were deformed and depraved in our sin and rebellion, refusing to show reverence to anyone or anything but ourselves—and the results are so much better—not just a transformation of our outward appearances, but an inward change of our minds, of our hearts, and of our wills. We've become new, beautiful, people, inside and out, fit to marry God himself!

31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.

Now, we are united to God in such an intimate way that he is wherever we are. All that was ours (our sin and our rebellion) he took away. All that belongs to him (his protection, his might, his heaven) is ours. And he will never leave us. He will never forsake us. He will never divorce us even for all our sin. What honor he's given to us! What reverence he's shown!

And now, we're eager to give ourselves to him in return! We can't help but give him reverence and honor and respect and love. Christians revere Christ! Now, we're glad to submit to him—in everything!—trusting that he who loved us that much will take care of us from day to day! And how do we show that love? What is his will that we eagerly submit to? We, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

"Wives, submit to [their] husbands [in everything!] as [if submitting] to the Lord." They give them not only love, but show unconditional respect. Whether such respect is earned or deserved matters little. They show respect out of reverence for Christ. So wives, go home today and ask your husband how you can show him greater respect.

"Husbands, love [their] wives, [as much as they love themselves… even more!] just as Christ loved the church." They gladly sacrifice their time, their energy, their very selves, giving themselves up for their wives. And it matters little if their wives give them respect in return. They love their wives anyway out of reverence for Christ. So husbands, go home today and ask your wives how you can better show love to them.

"Children, obey [their] parents…" not just to avoid getting into trouble, but to please God. They give parents obedience, love, honor, and respect out of reverence for Christ. Kids, go home today and ask your parents how you can help them and how you can better show them love and respect.

"Fathers… bring up [their children] in the training and instruction of the Lord," eager to introduce their children to their real, heavenly Father, and help them to know him better. They do this not just so they might be proud of their kids someday, but to make their heavenly Father proud. They do it out of reverence for Christ. Parents, sit down together tonight and talk about how you can help your kids to better know the Lord.

Do you want to fix the problems that you see with the lack of reverence in our nation? Well, unless you're close friends with an NFL player and can convince him to stand with his hand over his heart during the singing of the national anthem, you're probably not going to have a huge impact on the NFL with your Facebook posts and tweets. Unless you know someone is currently contemplating a mass murder suicide and you can talk them down or report them to the police, you personally probably won't prevent the next shooting. Unless you believe your scathing Facebook replies will silence all your political foes so they will finally show your party respect, you won't likely have a huge impact on too many by what you post.

But you can be more reverent in your sphere of influence. You can show more respect and honor to your spouse, to your parents, to your kids, to your coworkers and your family and friends. In thanks to Christ, who so willingly submitted to the Father, to death, to hell, for you and for me, we can willingly submit to him and be more reverent in our community right here, in our workplaces, in our marriages, and in our families. We can be more reverent at home as we "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." For Christians revere Christ. In his name, dear friends, amen. 


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast
Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast

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

Posted by at No comments:

Tuesday, October 3, 2017

Let Go of Ego (A sermon based on James 4:7-12)

Do you have a healthy ego? Maybe too healthy? Or are you humble? So humble that you can be proud of your humility? :) This week God, through James, humbles us by his law. But he humbles us that he might lift us up with his grace. That grace, in turn, moves us to gladly humble ourselves before God and others and we live to serve them in thanks for Jesus' humility for us! Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on James 4:7-12 and... 

Let Go of Ego

A sermon based on James 4:7-12

Sunday, October 1, 2017 – Pentecost 17B

 

"You know, I think I might be the humblest person that I know." What an oxymoron, right? Did you think that last week when in the book of Numbers (which Moses wrote by the way) it says, "(Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)" (Number 12:3). Well, to avoid the accusations that Moses was full of false humility, many scholars suggest that that verse was actually added (by Joshua perhaps) after Moses' death. But you know, since Moses was inspired to write what he did, I don't have a problem with Moses writing that at the Holy Spirit's insistence in spite of Moses' protestations.

But that's the thing about humility: As soon as you think you've got it all figured out and that you're pretty humble, well… you're not. And that's why we need God's Word. When we struggle to produce humility in ourselves (or worse, become proud of how humble we are), God's law does a good job of humbling us for real. It reminds us that we have rebelled against God again and again and deserve nothing but hell. But it also prepares us for the gospel (that we would otherwise find no need for) and let's God lift us up in his grace. Then, having been humbled by the law and lifted up by the gospel, we can be truly humble in our service to God and to others.

Our text for consideration this morning is taken from James 4:7-12…

 

7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

 

Someone once asked Martin Luther, "What is the first step to having a sincere faith?" And Luther replied, "Humility." The man nodded in agreement and then asked, "And what's the second step?" To which Luther replied, "Humility." "Okay," the man said, pressing the issue, "Then what's the third step?" And, you can guess Luther's answer: "Ah, the third step," he said, "Well… that…  is humility."

I know we often say that every sin is equally bad in God's sight. And there is a certain truth to that. To God, lust and adultery, hatred and murder, laziness and theft, are the same—equally damning before him—even though the consequences in this life are vastly different. But I would argue that there is a sin that is worse than the rest. And that sin is pride. You see without the humility to admit that we are wrong, to admit that we have rebelled against God, to admit that we deserve hell, and to admit that we are hopelessly unable to remedy that situation on our own, well… then we have no use for the gospel. And we will reject it and be lost forever in hell.

So it makes sense that the first three steps to a sincere faith are humility, humility, and humility.

Humble yourselves before God. And resist the devil. That's really saying the same thing isn't it? It's just two sides of the same coin. What would satan have us do? He would have us arrogantly throw off God's lordship and claim it for ourselves, to think that our lives belong to us, that we will do what we want, not what God does. That's exactly what satan did in the Garden of Eden and that's still what he does today. Every time we sin—every time we slander one another, speak against each other, proudly thinking we're so much better—we come near to the devil and resist God. We think we know better than he does and arrogantly defy him. How foolish!

And for foolishly drawing near the devil while resisting God, we deserve to join the devil in an eternity away from God. We deserve hell. And that leads us to, "Grieve, mourn and wail," and to "Change [our] laughter to mourning and [our] joy to gloom."

Admit it. You're an arrogant sinner. You deserve God's wrath and punishment. Humble yourself before God, fall on your knees (at least in spirit), and cry out to him to show you mercy that you don't deserve! For as Luther once said, "God cannot fill a cup that is already full." Empty yourself of yourself. Let go of ego and confess your sin to God.

And when you do… God will lift you up. "Come near to God and he will come near to you." James promises, not calling the unbeliever to convert himself (for that can never be done), but calling the believer to repent of sin before God. When we do God will come near to us, not to punish us, but to restore us. "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." For he is "the one who is able to save…"

And he has saved you through Jesus. The word, humble, as you know, comes from the Latin word for earth or dirt. To humble yourself is to literally get close to the dirt. Well, Jesus left his heavenly throne to come to this earth. He took on human flesh to walk in the dirt. And he lived a humble life always submitting to the Father's will, always pleasing him, never sinning. Then he died an innocent death on himself to take our sins committed in arrogant pride all away. And he literally humbled himself to death, being buried in the dirt. But after he humbled himself before the Lord, the Lord lifted him up on the third day. His resurrection is the proof that our sin is forgiven.

So now, when we humble ourselves before God in genuine repentance, he will lift us up with the assurance of sins forgiven for Jesus' sake. And there's no room for any pride since we did nothing to earn it or deserve it. We can let go of ego and let God lift us up. James 4:6 says, "God opposes the proud but, gives grace to the humble."

Someone once said that God has two thrones: One in the highest of heavens and the other in the humblest of hearts. When we let go of ego and empty ourselves of ourselves, when we're no longer a full cup, then God can fill us with his righteousness, with genuine purity, with peace, with himself…

And now, with God sitting on the throne of our hearts where he rightly belongs, we will live different lives.

Though we are still "double-minded" in that we still have sinful natures that long to please ourselves right along side that new desire to please God alone, nevertheless, we will do all we can to battle our arrogance, our pride, and our sinful natures. We will do all we can to, "Wash [our] hands… and purify [our] hearts…" There will be a change of outward behavior when we have a change of mind and will.

And when we are no longer be arrogant and proud toward God, we will no longer be arrogant and proud toward others.

It's been said that people can be a lot like vultures. They go through life soaring above beautiful scenery. But they miss it all. They see none of the beauty because they're only searching for what is dead and decaying that they might consume it. Just look at the tabloids and the gossip columns, the celebrity magazines, and the top dozen stories on your Facebook page. People look for the negative that they might, "slander one another… [speak] against [each other]… and judge [their] neighbor[s]…" so they feel bigger and better, so they can ignore their own sin and ignore God's law. What human vultures!

But we're not like that anymore, friends. Having been humbled before God, having been lifted up by him, having been freed of our sin and brought into peace with him by his glorious gospel…! We'll be more concerned with self-examination than with harsh criticism of others. We'll be eager to forgive others just as we've been forgiven. We'll be eager to let go of ego and humbly serve others in love in thanks to him who first loved and served us. In Jesus' name, dear friends, amen. 


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast
Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast

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

Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)