The Promising Word (A sermon based on Luke 23:39-43)

Do you want to be remembered? What for? The thief crucified next to Jesus isn't remembered for his crimes. He's remembered for Jesus' gracious promise to him. We, who deserve the same sentence as the thief, get the same gracious promise given to us by our Savior. He tells us that we will be with him in paradise. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Luke 23:39-43 and rejoice in our Savior's promising Word!  

The Promising Word

A sermon based on Luke 23:39-43

Sunday, February 25, 2018 – Lent 2

 

Do you think you will remember me, ten years from now? Do you think you'll remember me five years from now? Will you remember me one year from now? Will you remember me tomorrow?

Alright, I've got a joke for you: Knock, knock. [Who's there?] What?! You already forgot me? That hurts.

This morning as we examine the second word or phrase that Jesus spoke from the cross, we hear a man make a simple request of Jesus. He doesn't ask for rescue from his pain. He doesn't ask for healing. He doesn't even ask that his sins might be forgiven. He simply asks to be remembered.

But Jesus gave him so much more. In our Savior's response, we hear a word of promise—a word of promise for a dying thief… and a word of promise for all of us. Our text for consideration this morning is found in Luke 23:39-43…

³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."

⁴² Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

⁴³ Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

This is the Gospel of our Lord.

The second word from Jesus' dying lips is a word of promise and salvation: "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." But pay attention to whom these words were spoken: not to a religious man, to a fine, upstanding citizen, or to one of his disciples, but to a convict, guilty not just of some misdemeanor, but of some serious capital crime, punishable by execution by crucifixion.

We don't know exactly what he or the man on the other side of Jesus did, but it must have been bad for the Romans to insist on the death penalty. "Criminals" and "thieves" they're called. But we might call them "terrorists" today as they posed a threat to Roman security so that their public crucifixion was intended to be a deterrent to other would be criminals.

And so they were each nailed to their own cross to be tortured to death to pay their debt to society. And there Jesus hung between them. One was on Jesus' right, and one was on Jesus' left, as Jesus came into his kingdom—ironically, a privilege the disciples fought over, even though they had no idea what they were asking.

But let's look at the response of each man to Jesus. The first, mocks Jesus along with the crowd, joining in the taunts of the religious leaders, "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" It's strange, isn't it, that this man's rejection of Jesus comes in the form of a prayer to Jesus: "Save yourself and us!" It's obviously not a prayer of faith, but one of derision: "What kind of Christ are you? What kind of Savior are you supposed to be?! If you can't keep yourself from getting killed, how are you supposed to save the rest of us?!"

This thief is the spokesman for the unbelieving world. His mocking "prayer" comes in the form of a demand: "If Jesus really loved people he would save them from pain, and heartbreak, and poverty, and cancer. He would save them from persecution, from sorrow, from anything unpleasant. He would make us happy, and wealthy, and entertained. But if he doesn't do those things? If he doesn't save us from boredom? What kind of Savior is he, anyway? Who needs him?"

Well… we do to put it bluntly. We, who so often care more about salvation from too much government control or not enough government aid than we do about salvation from sin and God's eternal Kingdom… we, who so often care more about salvation from sickness and pain than we do about salvation from the cancer of sin and the eternal death it should bring… we who so often care about salvation from boredom or poverty or heartache than we do about salvation from our sin that breaks God's heart and ought to bring eternal poverty and torment in hell… we need Jesus as our Savior—not from pain or torture or a cross, but from sin, death, and hell.

And the thief on the other side of Jesus might just as well rebuke us: "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."

"We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things." But we don't. So let's start by humbly confessing with this second thief, that should we be tortured to death—and worse! …should we be tortured for all of eternity in hell!—we would still be "punished justly," getting only "what our deeds deserve."

But let's not stop there. For that would only lead to despair. Then, having confessed our sin to God, let's look to Jesus as this second thief did too. He boldly confessed, "This man has done nothing wrong."

Just how much did this thief understand in his confession? Did he understand that dying next to him was the sinless Son of God, the Lamb of God who had come to take away the sin of the world? Or did he just mean that Jesus didn't deserve to be executed for crimes against the state like they did?

The truth is, we can't know for sure. But we do get a glimpse of what he knew and believed in his dying prayer: Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." This was not a prayer of derision, but a simple prayer of faith.

He saw the broken, bleeding, dying man next to him and yet, took the sign over his head literally. He was a King… with a Kingdom and he would keep that Kingdom even after his death.

All this criminal asked was to be remembered. Not to be spared the agonies of death, not rescued from the pain—simply remembered. And this tiny little mustard-seed-sized faith was acknowledged by Jesus and credited to the thief as righteousness. And he was given so much more than what he asked:

Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." What grace! What undeserved love! What a beautiful promise for a con!

What sort of Christ is this who promises Paradise to a dying thief who admits the guilt of crime and that he crucifixion is a just punishment for what he did?! What sort of justice is this that speaks pardon to the unpardonable, that forgives the unforgivable, that acquits the guilty, that saves those society deems unsalvageable and worthy of the cruelest form of death?!

This is just the kind of Christ that we need. This is the just the kind of Savior that we have. This is our Savior.

This is the Savior of the world, the Redeemer of fallen mankind, the One who reconciles the enemy as enemy and justifies the sinner as sinner. As Paul wrote in Romans 5:8, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

This is the Savior that we have: The one who promises not just to a convict, but to you… to me… "I tell you the truth… you will be with me in paradise."  This is the Savior that we have: The one who lived a perfect life and died an innocent death to make it true. 

Hear that word of promise our Savior makes to you. Believe that word of promise our Savior makes to you. Hear it now, and at the hour of your death. Believe it now, and never stop believing it until the hour of your death, when he says to you, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." And he will remember you. He will not forget you or his promise.

So finally, between now and that hour, serve our Savior in thanks for his gracious promises. Defend him before others who would mock him. Remind them that we ought to be "punished justly," and get "what our deeds deserve."

Remind them that Jesus makes the promise to them too, that because of his work for them on the cross, the truth is that they too can be with him in paradise anyway.

Thank Jesus for his word of promise, for the paradise that will be ours, for opening his Kingdom even to sinners and rebels condemned to die as the just wages of our sin. Give thanks to our living Savior for his promising word and go live for him. In his name, dear friends, amen.

In Him,

Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611

www.GraceLutheranKenai.com

pastorguenther@gmail.com
(907) 690-1660

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The Pardoning Word (A sermon based on Luke 23:34)

They're such wonderful words to hear. And they're such difficult words to say. But they are the most powerful, life-changing words ever spoken. "I forgive you." What enables us to say those words? Hearing them spoken by Jesus first. The forgiveness we have in him, moves us to gladly forgive others. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Luke 23:34...

The Pardoning Word

A sermon based on Luke 23:34

Sunday, February 18^th, 2018 – Lent 1

 

What are the most powerful, life changing words in the world? "Ready. Aim. Fire!" or "Do it. Drop the bomb."? Maybe "You're hired!" or "You're fired!" Or maybe, "I love you" or "Will you marry me?" or "I do." Maybe the most life changing words are, "Congratulations. It's a boy!" or "It's a girl!" Or "I'm sorry to give you these results," from the doctor. Those are all powerful, life-changing words. But I would argue that there are words even more powerful and even more life changing: "I forgive you." What power those words carry, especially when they're spoken by God.

On Sunday mornings of this Lenten season we're going to examine the seven powerful, life-changing phrases that Jesus spoke from the cross. The first phrase heard from Jesus' dying lips is a pardoning word in the form of a prayer to God, recorded for us in Luke 23:34. Here's verse 33 too for the immediate context:

 

³³ When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. ³⁴ Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

 

What's the hardest thing you've ever had to forgive? Some harsh words spoken against you by a parent or spouse in a moment of frustration? Some thoughtless action that left you with a greater burden to carry? Some cruel joke that hurt your feelings and left you feeling wounded? Some public humiliation that ruined your reputation and left you feeling ashamed and alone? Some betrayal of trust, a broken vow, an illicit affair? The death of one you loved, the murder of someone you would have gladly given your life for? (This week as I heard of another mass shooting in a school in Florida, I wondered if I could ever forgive someone if they came into our school and shot and killed one of my sons.)

But no matter what you've been asked to forgive someone else of, I can promise you that it's nothing compared to what Jesus forgave…

As the nails were jutting out of his wrists and his feet, as his back, shredded from the scourging that he already endured, was rubbing against the rough wood of the cross, as the agonizing pain—the excruciating pain—was hitting every nerve of his body, what was Jesus thinking?

 "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

What is the antecedent of the pronoun, "them"? Was it the Roman soldiers who were executing him? "Father, forgive them for the scourging, for the torture, for the agonizing pain they're inflicting in this crucifixion!"

Was it the Jewish leaders – those Pharisees and teachers of the law who worked so hard to have him sentenced to death? "Father, forgive them for the ridicule, for the mockery, for the rejection, for their misunderstanding and ignorance that caused it all!"

Was it the disciples who abandoned him in his hour of greatest need? "Father, forgive them for their cowardice, for their betrayal, for their betrayal when I needed them the most!"

Nevertheless, when he was in the greatest pain a human could ever suffer, when he was absolutely alone, abandoned by his family, his friends, his own Father, when he was about to endure the agony of hell itself… it wasn't himself he was thinking about. It was them: the Roman soldiers, the Jewish leaders, his own disciples.

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

And he went on to give his life—and his very soul—as the once-for-all sacrifice that won forgiveness for every sin.

 

What's the hardest thing you've ever had to forgive? I know what it is for some of you. And I know it's something much bigger than anything I've ever had to forgive. I don't have a clue what it is for others of you. I can only imagine the sins and hurts that God asks you to forgive. And those aren't small things. I get that. At least, sort of, even though I haven't experience all that you have. But… how well do you forgive?

Peter once asked Jesus, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" (Matthew 18:21) (And he thought he was probably being pretty generous in forgiving someone not just "three strikes and you're out," but seven times!) But Peter wanted to set a limit to forgiveness.

And don't we sometimes want to do the same? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Don't we sometimes want to say "three strikes and you're out," not just in the legal process of our justice system, but in our personal lives? Don't we sometimes want to hold a grudge, keep a record, make the other person hurt the same way that they made us hurt?

But Jesus upped the ante for Peter. Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."  (Matthew 18:22) You see, Jesus wanted Peter to realize that placing a limit on forgiveness was a failure to see one's own need for forgiveness from God.

I know that some of you have experience much bigger hurts that need to be forgiven than I ever have. But, still, as a faithful pastor I need to blunt with you: To say that the sins that others have committed against you (no matter how big that they are) should not be forgiven, is, in essence, to say "They don't deserve forgiveness the way I do," which is to say, "I don't need forgiveness the way they do," which is to say, "I don't really want your forgiveness, Jesus." Our failure to forgive others is really a plea to God that he should not forgive us. After all, don't we daily pray, "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."?

We don't deserve God's forgiveness any more than those who have sinned against us deserve ours. We don't deserve God's forgiveness for the countless ways that we have sinned against him. We don't deserve God's forgiveness for the way we've failed to forgive those who have sinned against us. But what we do deserve, is God's wrath, God's punishment, God's banishment to an eternity without him forever in hell…

 

What is the antecedent of the pronoun, "them"? Is it the Roman soldiers who crucified him? Is it the Jewish leaders who rejected him? Is it the disciples who abandoned him? I think it's all of those… and more. I think the "them" of Jesus' prayer, "Father, forgive them," is all of mankind.

We don't know what we're doing as we sin against God again and again, as we knowingly rebel against his will, as we refuse to forgive others who have sinned against us. But nevertheless, Jesus said of us, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

And unlike our prayers, "Father, take away mom's cancer." "Father, heal my broken relationship." "Father, help me keep my job so I can provide for my family…" where God might answer, "No, that wouldn't be for the eternal good of souls," when Jesus—God's own son!—prays to his Father, we know that what he prays is in perfect accord with the Father's will. And so God will hear and he will answer—in the affirmative!—whatever Jesus prays!  So you know, without any doubt, that you are forgiven; for your rebellion against God, for your selfish thoughts, words, and actions, for your failure to forgive those who have sinned against you, for your every sin!

You are perfect, sinless, and holy, because Jesus not only prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing," but he also lived a perfect, sinless life in your place to give you credit for his moral perfection. He willingly chose the cross, the nails, the injustice, the agonizing pain, the separation from his Father, the hell that he endured… He went on to give his life—and his very soul—as the once-for-all sacrifice that won forgiveness for every sin—for yours; for mine.

The Father has forgiven us for the sins we committed when we didn't know what we were doing… and for those we committed when we did know better. He has forgiven us for every sin for the sake of Jesus, who lived for us, who died for us, who prayed for us, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

 

So what's our response? There is no other response than to say, "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us." Or as Luther put it in his explanation to the 5^th Petition of the Lord's Prayer, "So we too will forgive from the heart and gladly do good to those who sin against us."

I don't know what the hardest thing is that you've ever had to forgive. I may know what it is for some of you. And for most of you, it's probably something much bigger than anything I've ever had to forgive. I can only imagine the sins and hurts that God asks you to forgive. But I do know that in Christ, who prayed from the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing," who on the cross won that forgiveness for you, who says to you, those most powerful, life changing words, "I forgive you." …through him you can do the very thing that you so often pray to God for help doing and forgive those who sin against you, just as God has forgiven you. And what powerful, life-changing words those will be, when you say to others, "I forgive you." In Jesus' name, by his forgiveness, and for his sake, dear friends, amen.

In Him,

Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611

www.GraceLutheranKenai.com

pastorguenther@gmail.com
(907) 690-1660

Read sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Sermons

Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast

Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast

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Unveiled (A sermon based on 2 Corinthians 4:3-6)

The veil has been lifted. The blindfold has been removed. You have seen Jesus and the glory of his cross. You know who he is and what he came to do: to rescue you and all people from sin, death, and hell. Now, we have the privilege of doing all we can to lift the veil from the eyes of others and take the blindfold off of them so they too can see who Jesus is and what he's done for them. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 and rejoice in what you see and be renewed in your zeal to help others see it too. 

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Unveiled

A sermon based on 2 Corinthians 4:3-6

Sunday, February 11, 2018 – Transfiguration B

 

Jake was ready for the big day. It had been a long engagement, but his wedding day was finally here. And he was so excited! The ceremony was beautiful and went off without a hitch. The celebration to follow was amazing with so many family and friends. And the wedding night… well, let's just say that it was pretty special too. It was a perfect day and Jake went to sleep counting his many blessings.

But, when he woke up the next morning… Gah!!! The woman next to him wasn't the woman he'd been dating for the last seven years! It wasn't the woman he proposed to! It wasn't the woman he thought he married the day before! It was, of all people… her sister!

Do you ever wonder how Jacob could have not noticed that he was marrying Leah instead of her sister Rachel, the woman he'd been engaged to for seven years! How did he not know that he wasn't marrying the woman he was so in love with that those seven years seemed like only a few days to him?! How did he take her home into his tent and consummate the marriage without knowing who she really was?!

Some have speculated that Leah was in on the deception, spoke softly so Jacob wouldn't hear her voice, and wore a thick veil so he couldn't see her face. I suspect the amount of beer or wine Jacob drank in the celebration had something to do with it as well. But here, normally intelligent Jacob, who was duping others to get his way, was now himself duped. And all of the drama, the heartache, the pain he brought into his family was because of a veil and maybe some beer goggles. (Read Genesis 26:15-30 for the full account).

Well, friends, Jacob isn't alone in his blunder. How often don't we make the same mistakes? No… I'm not suggesting that any of you accidentally married the wrong spouse. (If that's where you were going with that thought, let's talk after the service. I offer free marriage counseling.) But how often haven't we been blinded to the truth by satan who promises blessings if we do things our own way (his way) rather than God's? How often don't we fall into sin because we don't think clearly or don't see things clearly with sober judgment?

And just as Jacob, kind of deserved the deception for all the deceiving he'd been doing, so too, we justly deserve the consequences of our sin. We deserve hell. And on our own, we were too blind to see God's solution. We couldn't see the light of the gospel. But, God, in his great grace to us has lifted the veil. He's turned on the lights, so to speak, so we can see clearly. We can see clearly the truth about ourselves—that we are sinners who deserve to perish apart from God. We can see clearly the truth about Jesus—that he came to rescue us from our sin and bring us to glory.

Let God lift the veil for you again today as we see those truths. Our text for consideration this morning is recorded for us in 1 Corinthians 4:3-6…

 

³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵ For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. ⁶ For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

 

I.        God's Glory is Unveiled for Us

 

It's a fun game children play at birthday parties: One child is blindfolded so he can't see a thing, then he's spun around a number of times so he gets dizzy and disoriented, then he tries to pin a tail on a donkey or beat the snot out of his favorite cartoon hero hung in effigy and stuffed with candy. (I've never understood that part, by the way. Why do we want to beat Spiderman or Dora the Explorer to pulp? Are we teaching kids the right thing with piñatas?)

But what's meant to be a fun game for kids at a party, is no way of going thought life. Can you imagine if you had to steer the boat blindfolded? What if you had to drive to Anchorage with your eyes covered? What if you just had to get something from the garage without being able to see?

But that's the way God's word describes us all by nature: spiritually blindfolded. A veil before our eyes obscured more than just our fiancé; it obscured the gospel. "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ…"

Some people read the Bible and never understand it. Some think that Jesus was a great teacher who taught us how to live to earn favor with God. Others read of Jesus' resurrection and say that he lives on, but only in our thoughts and in our and hearts. Others read Jesus' saying, "This is my body," and "This is my blood," and respond, "This cannot be." Some read the Bible and see great literature, but miss the plan of salvation. Some read the Bible and see myths and fairy tales. Others see a self-help manual with directions on how to make this life better. Everyone, on their own, thinks that they can or must do something to earn God's favor. They all read the same Bible, but without the Holy Spirit, they're in the dark. They just don't get it. It's like trying to drive a car with a blindfold on. And you know how well that would end—in death.

But that's not the way we are anymore. "For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." When he brought us to faith, God flipped on the light switch! He pulled off the blindfold! He revealed himself and what he's done so we can see clearly!

You and I have seen the full glory of the Lord! Not just the glory of his miracles, for those were only temporary. The people he miraculously fed were hungry again. The people he raised to life died again. We have seen the full glory of the Lord! Not just the glory of transfiguration when he shined like the sun on the mountain. For that glory soon faded. And his disciples still didn't get it, soon arguing who was the greatest among them, who would get the greatest glory.

But we have seen his full glory—the glory of the cross! We have seen how he lived a perfect life in our place! We have seen how he suffered hell on the cross to pay for our sin! We have seen that God's greatest power is found his apparent defeat. We have seen how he rose again to give us the proof that we are right with God! We have seen that the real glory comes not in this life, but after the suffering, after the cross, after death, in the life to come! The veil has been lifted for us! The blindfold has been removed! We have seen the full glory of God!

You know, our nation no longer faces the problem we once did with a large percentage of our citizens being illiterate. Now, through our education system, that problem has been solved and almost everyone knows how to read. But we have another problem—a high percentage of alliterate people. That is, people aren't illiterate. They know how to read, they just don't! Very few Americans read more than five books a year. I hope that you're not in that category. You have had the blindfold removed. You know what the Bible is all about. You know that it's all about Jesus. But that knowledge doesn't do you much good if you don't read the Bible regularly.

Can you imagine if the blind man whose sight Jesus miraculously restored, were to say to Jesus, "Thanks, Jesus. I really appreciate what you did, but… you know what? All this 'seeing business' is pretty crazy. I think I'm just going to go back to not seeing and walk around with a blindfold on all the time. Thanks though for the thought. I appreciate it."

Don't be like that! God has given you spiritual sight to see how all of your sins are forgiven by Jesus! He has given you eyes to see how you are at peace with God! But if the gospel that was once veiled, but now is revealed, still has no place in your life… what a waste! Use your spiritual sight to keep looking at all the wonderful things God has done for you! Enjoy your spiritual sight as you look into his Word and find Jesus in every book of the Bible! The blindfold has been lifted. The veil has been removed!

Keep looking into his Word where you see how you've been forgiven even for neglecting your spiritual sight! And look into his Word through which the Holy Spirit will continue to work in you as you unveil the gospel to others!

 

II.      God's Glory is Unveiled through Us

 

"What's behind door number two?" the game show host cries, and the door is open to show a wonderful prize. "Vanna, show her what she's won!" and the game show hostess pulls off the drop cloth to reveal the shiny, new sportscar beneath it. That's sort of what we get to do too…

Think of what Paul went through before he wrote these words. On the road to Damascus he saw the glory of the Lord! Jesus himself stood before Paul shining so brilliantly that it caused Paul to go blind. (Talk about transfiguration!) When he got up, he opened his eyes, but could see nothing, totally blinded. Three days later, after he was instructed, baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit, something like scales fell from his eyes and he could see! He could see physically again. And he could see spiritually for the first time! (Read Acts 9, 22, and 26 for the account of Paul's conversion.)

And God not only gave Paul sight, but he gave Paul a mission: In Acts 26:17-18, Paul reported what Jesus said to him on the road to Damascus: "I am sending you to [the Gentiles] to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me." And here Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake."

In a sense, Paul was like a glow-in-the-dark star. When he saw the glory of God, he sort of absorbed it a bit. And it was his job then to reflect some of that glory, proclaiming the truth that lifted the veil from his eyes to lift the veil from others too.

And that's exactly what it's like for us. We, who have seen the glory of God in Christ—in the forgiveness that he won for us, get to be like the game show host who reveals the prize to others. We get to be like Paul as "We do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as [others'] servants for Jesus' sake."

God simply spoke. And with the words, "Let there be light… Let there be lights in the vault of the sky…" (Genesis 1:3,14) he made light and the sun and the moon. God simply spoke. And with the Word he brought you to faith and made you the moon to his Son. "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."

And now we really are like the moon in several ways. As the light doesn't really belong to the moon but is only a reflection of the sun, so the glory isn't ours. It's his. But we reflect it in our lives to others. As the moon gives light to the earth when you can't see the sun, so too when others can't see the Son of God because their hearts and minds are veiled, they can still see us as we reflect his love and remove the veil for others!

Jesus put it this way in Matthew 5:14-16, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

So let your light shine, dear brothers and sisters! Actively look for ways to serve others. Look for opportunities to serve your family, your neighbors, your coworkers, and your friends. Do not just what's expected of you in your position, but surprise others by your willingness to go above and beyond. Surprise your spouse. Surprise your kids. Surprise your parents. Surprise your boss. Surprise your employees. Surprise the stranger you meet at the store by how thoughtful and loving and kind you are! And as you do, you'll be reflecting the glory of Jesus. You'll shine brighter and brighter with his love.

And as you do that, you'll find more opportunities to share the story of Jesus' love and the full glory of his redemption won at the cross with others. You'll be able to pull off the blindfold and lift off the veil for them. You'll be able to "preach… Jesus Christ as Lord… [that] his light [might] shine in [their] hearts to give [them] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."For Jesus sends us, "to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [him]."

The blind fold has been removed from our eyes. Jesus has been unveiled to us. Now, Jesus is unveiled through us as we let our light shine before others that they may see our good works, that we might share the message of his love and his grace. So go unveil the gospel to others, for Jesus sake. In his name, dear friends, amen. 

In Him,

Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611

www.GraceLutheranKenai.com

pastorguenther@gmail.com
(907) 690-1660

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Sent Out by the Holy Spirit (A sermon based on Acts 13:1-5)

You've got a mission to do: you're sent out by your spouse or by your parents to go get a few groceries from the store. How well do you do? Do you get the right items? The right sizes? Do you get other things not on the list? You've got another mission to do and this one's far more important: You're sent out by God to share the good news of what he's done for all people by Jesus' perfect life and innocent death on the cross. Do you get the job done? Do you do it well? Thank God he did send Jesus out to carry out his mission to rescue us from our failure to accomplish ours. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Acts 13:1-5 and rejoice in Jesus' forgiveness and be renewed in your zeal and commitment to carry out the mission God has given to you...

Sent Out by the Holy Spirit

A sermon based on Acts 13:1-5

Sunday, January 28, 2018 – Epiphany 3B (Confirmation)

 

Sometimes I'm sent out by my wife to run some errands or to do some shopping. Sometimes I get it right. More often I get it wrong. "What?! These are tomatoes. You never said they couldn't be in a can. The list didn't say 'fresh tomatoes.'" Or, "The list just said, 'cream of mushroom soup.' You never specified 'family size.'" Or, "Cuties, satsumas, clementines… what's the difference? They're all little baby oranges." Usually it's not that big of a deal, but sometimes I get sent back to the store.

Now Becky's not the only who sends me out to carry out tasks for her. God has sent me out too. I've been called by the Holy Spirit through this congregation to carry out the task of preaching and teaching the truth of God's Word, of administering the sacraments, of using law and gospel to confront and then comfort sinners.

And I'm not the only one here who's been called by God and sent out by the Holy Spirit. You too, confirmands, are called by God to go out now with the knowledge you've gained from the Word of God and to share it with others. You too, members, have been called by God to carry out the mission work of this church. You too, Christians, have been called by God to share the good news of his salvation with your friends and family, your neighbors and co-workers. This is the task we've all been given by God. Do we sometimes do that errand wrong? Do we sometimes leave it undone altogether?

Now, when I goof up the task for Becky, it's usually not that big of a deal. But when we goof up the task for God, it's always a big deal. So today we thank God that he sent out Jesus to carry out his mission for us. We thank God that he sent out missionaries to carry the message of his mission complete to us. And we joyfully recommit ourselves to carry out the work that he has sent us out to do. Our text for consideration is from Acts 13:1-5…

 

In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." ³ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

⁴ The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. ⁵ When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

 

Wouldn't it be nice to have God whisper in your ear exactly what he wanted you to do? Wouldn't it be nice if we were called the same way Paul and Barnabas were, with explicit directions? Wouldn't it be nice to be called like the disciples were with clear instruction from Jesus himself every day?

Friends, Jesus has given us that that direction… in his Word. There God has given us the errands we are to run for him. He's made us his ambassadors. We are called to love, called to serve, called to use our gifts and abilities for something eternal, called to proclaim the word of God to those who need to hear it. God has no Plan B. You and I are his only plan to get the message out. It's our job. And it's our primary job in this life. Wherever else you work is your secondary mission that helps support you in the only work that will last for eternity.

But how well do we do the job entrusted to us? Outside of these walls, how many people have you talked to about your faith in the last month? How much have you given to support the spread of the gospel this year and how much have you spent on entertainment? How earnestly have you prayed for the lost souls in your neighborhood or in your family?

The challenge with carrying out our mission is that it almost always demands sacrifice.

For the church in Antioch, they had to give up two of their five pastors. "Well, they already had five pastors," you say, "How many more did they need? Why shouldn't some leave to go somewhere with zero pastors?" But Antioch had half a million residents. That's one pastor to 100,000 people. And even if the work load might easily be covered by the other three pastors, it may still have been hard for the members of the church to give up Paul and Barnabas, their beloved pastors and their friends.  

And when it says, "they placed their hands on them and sent them off," it likely means more than just booting them out the door. They probably supplied Paul and Barnabas with the funds needed for travel, for lodging, for their food. So, while we often call them "Paul's missionary journeys," we might just as well call them "Antioch's missionary journeys," as the Christians there we funding the trips Paul took.

And think what Paul and Barnabas gave up. They gave up the comfort of the known to go on a mission full of unknowns. They gave up their homes and their beds to travel across the globe. They gave up their friends and church family to make new friends for Jesus. They made big sacrifices for the Kingdom because they were sent out by the Holy Spirit.

What have you sacrificed for the Kingdom lately? Have you risked ridicule, forfeited finances, lost loved ones to share your faith? The truth is, we don't like to give up our friends, our homes, our pastors for the sake of the gospel. We don't like to give up our money or our time to help the Kingdom of God expand. We don't even like to give up our comfort or our convenience. And so, even though we've been sent by God to carry out his vial mission, we too often don't. In our selfishness, we simply refuse to do the work that God has called us to do.

It usually isn't that big of a deal if I'm sent out by Becky to get some item and come back with the wrong thing. But when we're sent out by God to run an errand for him and don't do it, it is a big deal. An ambassador who refused to do what he was sent to do would not only lose his job, but could be fined or even jailed. And for refusing to do the job that God has entrusted to us, we deserve to be jailed for eternity in a hellish prison separated from God with no chance of parole.

But friends, I've been called by God, appointed by the Holy Spirit, set apart by the laying on of hands to share a message from God to you: "You are forgiven for the way you've failed to do the tasks that he has given you. You are forgiven because he sent off his Son to come to earth." And that gospel message didn't originate with me.

By God's grace, that message has come here by missionaries. Missionaries from Jerusalem took the message to Turkey. Missionaries from Turkey took the message to Greece. Missionaries from Greece took the message to Rome. Missionaries from Rome took the message to the rest of Europe. Missionaries from Germany brought the message to the American Midwest. Missionaries from the Midwest brought the message to the Pacific Northwest. Missionaries from the Pacific Northwest brought the message to Anchorage. And missionaries from Anchorage brought the message here.

Through that long chain of witnesses (or one much like it), the gospel has been handed down to you so that you know what God has done for you in Christ: That he sent his one and only Son on a mission of his own. "But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law…" (Galatians 4:4-5) And, "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10) And Jesus never turned aside from his mission, but did everything needed to bring it to completion: he lived a perfect life, he died an innocent death, he rose again to prove: "Mission Accomplished!"

By God's grace the gospel has been handed down to you through that long chain of missionaries. But a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. So don't break the chain! Just as that gospel message didn't originate with us, let's not let it end with us either!

Josiah, Ayden, and Hailey, in a minute I'm going to lay my hand on you (or at least do my "holy hover") as you are confirmed. But to be clear, your confirmation is not graduation from the Word. You're not done. You don't know all you need to know yet; not even close. But on the contrary, already now, you are equipped to go on your way, sent out from here, sent on your way by the Holy Spirit, to proclaim the Word of God. And your mission is to your high school classmates and your high school teachers, then perhaps to your college classmates and teachers, or maybe to you co-workers and to your future spouse and kids.

And, of course, this mission isn't just for Hailey, Josiah, and Ayden. It's for all of us. You all are "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 2:9-10) You all are a part of the chain. So go share that message! Proclaim it boldly!

"But wait," you protest. "I'm not pastor. I can't preach." Maybe not. But you are a part of the mission nevertheless. Look again at that last sentence of our text: "John was with them as their helper."

This isn't the John who wrote the gospel, three epistles, and the book of Revelation. This isn't the John who baptized Jesus in the Jordan River either. In Acts 12(:12) we learn that his full name was John Mark. He was Barnabas' cousin (Colossians 4:10) and would later write the gospel of Mark. (Maybe he went by Mark so he wouldn't be confused with the "other John.")

But he wasn't a preacher. He was a helper. He was an assistant. That was his role. Some think he taught the children wherever Paul and Barnabas taught the adults. Others think he may have been their travel agent, helping them get to where they were going and to find adequate food and lodging along the way so they could focus on preaching and teaching. But whatever his role as helper was, he was vitally important to the mission. Paul and Barnabas wouldn't have been nearly as efficient in their job if not for the work of John Mark.

The point? You can carry out the mission entrusted to you in a number of ways. First, pray. As the old maxim goes, "If you want a better pastor, pray for the one you have." The same could be true if you want a better neighborhood, workplace, church, school, or synod. Second, serve. Cleaning church isn't a menial task. It's vitally important to our mission, giving a good first impression to our guests. So is smiling and warmly greeting them when you see those guests enter. Teaching the children, organizing events on a committee, operating a camera for a webcast, or clicking through PowerPoint slides, all help carry out our important task of passing the message along in that long chain of missionaries.

You don't need to have a call into public ministry to have a call. God has called you to be a part of our ministry here at Grace. You are sent on your way by the Holy Spirit. And he's called you to your own private ministry too as you serve your family, your co-workers, your neighbors, and your community. Use your gifts to serve him. You are a vitally important part of the mission.

Do it all in thanks to God for the mission he carried out for you. And do it with the strength that he gives.

Ever wonder why the Book of Acts is named that? What "acts" is it talking about? Well many Bible versions call the Book of Acts, "The Acts of the Apostles." And the book certainly does describe the apostles' actions as they spread the message around the Roman empire. But I prefer the title other Bibles give it: "The Acts of the Holy Spirit," as it was really he who was acting in and through the apostles. And it is he who is acting in and through you too. 

So put your trust in him. Trust in the Holy Spirit who's not only sent you out, but has also promised to help, just as Jesus said, "You will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict." (Luke 21:13-15)

And as we put our trust in him and go out to carry out our mission, not only called, but also empowered, by the Holy Spirit, we will keep the chain intact. And passing the gospel message to others, the Kingdom will expand. The fire will spread. As you go out, sent on your way by the Holy Spirt, and tell others, they, in turn will go out and tell more still. And on and on it will go until the last person hears, and Jesus returns, and we are sent off to heaven. So go, sent out by the Holy Spirit to tell the story of Jesus and his forgiving love. In his name, dear friends, amen.

In Him,

Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church

47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611

www.GraceLutheranKenai.com

pastorguenther@gmail.com
(907) 690-1660

Read sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Sermons

Listen to sermons online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Podcast

Watch services online: www.GraceLutheranKenai.com/Webcast

Like us on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/GraceLutheranKenai 

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