Monday, July 16, 2012

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

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

Growing Fruit

A sermon based on Galatians 5:16-26

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

 

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

 

  I.        Connected to the Vine

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

II.        Growing in the Vine

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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Sunday, July 8, 2012

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

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

You Are Alive!

A sermon based on Ephesians 2:1-10

Sunday, July 8, 2012

 

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

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

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

 

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

 

I.              Alive by the Grace of God

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

II.            Alive in the Grace of God

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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Tuesday, July 3, 2012

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

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

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

Plug In to the Power of Jesus!

A sermon based on Ephesians 1:18-23

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

 

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

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

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

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

I.              Know His Power 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


II.            Use His Power

 

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

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

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

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

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

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


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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Sunday, June 24, 2012

He Has Redeemed Me. What Does This Mean? (A sermon based on Galatians 4:4-5 and Hebrew 2:14)

This week we continue to review Luther's Small Catechism on the Apostle's Creed. In this sermon we look at the Second Article on God the Son's work of redeeming us and buying us back from sin, death, and hell. We look at how he did it, but can only marvel at why he did it and rejoice. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Galatians 4:4-5 and Hebrews 2:14 and rejoice in God's rich grace to you in Christ...

He Has Redeemed Me. What Does This Mean?

A sermon based on Galatians 4:4-5 and Hebrew 2:14

Sunday, June 24, 2012 – 2nd Article of the Apostle's Creed – Part 1

 

About a year ago Brooke Collins, a resident of Juneau, Alaska let her dogs out and one of them, a dachshund named Fudge, started to bark. When she looked, she saw Fudge in the mouth of a black bear. She said it was carrying him off "like a salmon."

Collins took off after the two. And when she managed to catch up she did the only thing she could think of: she punched the bear in the nose. It must have been quite a punch but the bear dropped the dog and headed off for the mountains.

She saved little Fudge, but thinking back upon the incident, she readily admitted that it was incredibly stupid (her words, not mine) to punch a black bear in the snout to save a dog. The risk wasn't really worth the reward.

This morning as we consider what ends our God was willing to go through to rescue us from the jaws of satan, death, and hell, it's even more mind-boggling that he should do it all, than that Mrs. Collins should go after her dachshund! Not with some adrenaline rush that temporarily blinded his senses, but with full knowledge, completely understanding the huge risk—the certain outcome even!— and the relatively small reward—that not everyone for whom he died would be saved… Still, Jesus not only risked his life, but gave it, enduring hell itself on the cross to rescue you and me.

 This act of the Lord which has redeemed our souls and forgiven our sins doesn't make sense—not by human standards. We can only begin to understand how God redeemed us. The basic elements are revealed in his Word. And we'll examine his redeeming work this morning. But why God redeemed us… well, there is no good reason. That's just who God is—the God of perfect grace giving his undeserved love, his only Son, to rescue you and me. As we examine the how, marvel again that God redeemed us at all.

We read Galatians 4:4-5 and Hebrews 2:14 which describe how God redeemed us, asking "What does this mean?"

 

4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.

 

14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—

 

As we talk about Christ's redemption, we should first define the term. Redeem, in the biblical sense isn't talking about coupons. When you read or hear "redeem" in the Bible, think "ransom." It means to buy someone back, to rescue them at a price. But of course that Christ redeemed us, meant that at one point we were in need of rescue. And we did. But what did we need rescue from?

I've never been a slave to another person. I've never been kidnapped. But I still needed rescue, just like you did. And we needed rescue, not just from sickness or financial problems, from backache or marital strife, not from bad grades or bad reviews, but from satan himself.

I was once a slave to sin. That is, I could do nothing but sin. Born into sin, no one can on their own. Oh, sure, some sins look pretty as selfishness is masked in manipulation as we give of our time, our energy or of ourselves in order to be served back later, to look good to others, or to feel good about ourselves. We might not have even been aware of how selfish we were because that's how steeped in selfishness we were. "Slave to sin." That's how God describes us in his Word. And as such, slaves to the devil, who holds the power of death.

What could we possibly do to escape? We couldn't improve. We couldn't stop sinning. And even if we could, we couldn't undo the sin we'd already done. Imagine if I were kidnapped tonight and a ransom note was delivered to our church president demanding one million dollars by tomorrow morning at 8:00am or you would never see me again. Okay, there's a pretty good chance that I'd just have to tough it out, right? The question of would you raise the money, aside, could you? Could you get that kind of cash together with such little notice?

The odds of your raising one million dollars overnight are better than the odds of you escaping from satan's clutches on your own. It can't be done. We needed rescue. And thank God we've received it!

"I believe in Jesus Christ, [God's] only Son, our Lord… He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil…"

But the ransom for our souls is much greater than a million bucks. In fact, no amount of money could ever pay. No sacrifice could be made. Not even another human soul. You see another human is a sinner. They're already slaves themselves in need of ransom. That's why the Psalmist wrote: "No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him—the ransom for a life is costly,  no payment is ever enough—that he should live on forever and not see decay." (Psalm 49:7-9)

The ransom payment must be something far greater, something you or I could never afford, something only God could.

"He has redeemed me… from all sins… death and… the devil, not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death."

And in order to do that, God had to become man…

"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy… the devil."

But why did he have to have flesh and blood to redeem us? He's God. Couldn't he just speak and call his victory into existence?! Well, it doesn't really work that way. You see, God wasn't just conquering an enemy, but was winning us—the enemy—over. And to do that, he had to take our place.

Maybe this will help explain: When I lived in Raleigh, my wife and I owned our own home. And we chose to decorate our guest bathroom in a unique way. After the walls were painted one solid color, we bought a few gold paint pens and wrote fun—sometimes funny—quotes all over the wall. But my boys knew the rule. Under no circumstances were they ever allowed to take pens or markers and color on the walls, the carpets, the books, or anything that wasn't paper designated for that specific purpose of being colored on by little boys. But why didn't I have to keep the rule? I could freely write all over the wall in that downstairs bathroom—or in any room if I had wanted!

Well, the answer's obvious, isn't it? It was my house. When the boys paid the mortgage, I told them, then they could color on whatever wall they wanted. And I wasn't bound by that law because it was my law. I wrote it. I enforced it. I was above it.

In a similar way, God can end a human life whenever he chooses. And it's not murder because it's his life. He gave it. He can take it. But what does this all have to do with our redemption? Well, if Jesus was to rescue us and bring us into heaven, he'd have to make us perfect. And to make us perfect he'd have to be perfect in our place. And to be perfect in our place, he'd have to be under his own law in order to keep it for us. And to be under his own law, he'd have to become human, like you and me.

"But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law…"

"I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary… I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord."

But there's more to it than that. Jesus' perfect keeping of the law in our place gives us his "A+, 100%" in God's record book. But our sin had to be removed too. And to do that, Jesus had to take the punishment we deserve. Jesus had to die. But in order to die, he had to be true human too. "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28) And, "He has redeemed me… with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death."

Jesus became true man to be born under the law. Jesus remained true God to keep the law perfectly in our place. Jesus became true man to die in our place. Jesus remained true God to make that death count.

How did God redeem us? By the God-man, Jesus Christ, who placed himself under the law to keep the law for us, who placed himself on the cross to take away our selfishness and to rescue us from the devil.

Why did God redeem us? That I don't know. Why he went chasing after death and entered the jaws of hell to rescue me, who is worth less than a dachshund because I've rebelled against him, I don't know. But I do know this: "I believe in Jesus Christ… who… was crucified, died, and was buried…" And that, "He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased and won me from all sins, from death and from the power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with his holy, precious blood and with his innocent suffering and death."

How did God redeem us? We answered that one. Why did God redeem us? That may never fully comprehend. Now the only question that remains is this: As redeemed, blood-bought children of God, how will you spend your life? For what are you willing to live and to die? I hope it's for more than a dachshund—or any dog for that matter. I hope it's for your Savior. I pray that for all that Jesus has done for you, you will eagerly and gladly, "be his own, and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, just as he has risen from death and lives and rules eternally." May God give you the faith, the conviction, and the strength to always say, "This is most certainly true." Amen. 


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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Tuesday, June 19, 2012

The Father Feeds His Children (A sermon based on Psalm 145)

Happy Father's Day! This week we continue our sermon series reviewing the Apostle's Creed and Luther's explanation to it in his Small Catechism. (You can find it at our website by clicking here.) Today we focus on the second part of the first article, rejoicing in how God preserves us by richly and daily providing all that we need...

Does your dad love you? How do you know? Does your heavenly Father love you? How do you know? You know because of the way he feeds you, taking care of all of your needs of both body and soul. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Psalm 145 and give thanks to God that he feeds you so well!

The Father Feeds His Children

A sermon based on Psalm 145

Sunday, June 17, 2012 – 1st Article to the Apostles' Creed (Part 2)

 

For a couple of years my dad thought his name was, Dad-can-I? At least that's what he said. He joked that every time my brother or I would address him, we'd always begin with "Dad, can I have...?" followed by our request. "Dad, can I have the car on Friday?" "Dad, can I have ten bucks for a movie?" "Dad, can I get tickets to that game?"

Where there was something we wanted, we went to dad. We knew that he had the resources and the ability to meet our desires. And sometimes he'd give us what we asked for. Other times he didn't. But he always gave what he thought was best for his sons. And my dad did a wonderful job of providing for his children.

In fact, I just got back from my folks place where dad did a wonderful job of providing for my needs again—with steaks and wine, with my favorite meals and delicious snacks. He even treated me to a movie in 3D and filled my suitcase with dress shirts he would no longer wear.

Why did dad do all that for me? Because that's what good dads do. They love their children. They long to provide for their children. They strive to meet their needs.

And that's exactly what our heavenly Father does too. In our text for this Father's Day, King David praises God the Father for providing for all of his needs. And as we continue to examine Luther's Catechism on the Apostle's Creed this morning, we look at the second part of the first article and see that our Father feeds us, his children, still today. Let's read Psalm 145 (feel free to follow along in your worship folder) and let's ask, "What does this mean?"

 

1 I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. 2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. 4 One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. 5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds. 7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. 9 The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. 10 All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints will extol you. 11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might, 12 so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. 14 The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. 16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. 17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. 18 The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. 20 The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. 21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

 

I. He Feeds Us By His Love

 

Does your dad love you? Unfortunately, not everyone can answer "yes" to that question. For some, their dad is dead and gone. For others, dad was abusive and unloving. But for those who can answer "yes," how do you know? Maybe you'd point to the good things he provides—food, shelter, clothes (and often so much more). Maybe you'd point to the love he's shown you in taking care of your other needs, defending and protecting you. Maybe you'd point to the times he's told you that he loves you.

Well, even though not everyone can say their earthly father loves them, everyone can say their heavenly Father loves them. And all of us can point to the many blessings in our lives that God has showered on us every day:

"And I believe that God still preserves me by richly and daily providing clothing and shoes, food and drink, property and home, spouse and children, land, cattle and all I own, and all I need to keep my body and life."

And we can point to the way he keeps us safe from hunger or danger:

"God also preserves me by defending me against all danger, guarding and protecting me from all evil." 

No wonder the Psalmist was led to declare: "The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing."

He recognized that God provided all that we need, just as Jesus said in the Gospel lesson for today. A loving Father doesn't give a scorpion or stone, but fish and bread. Evil dictators take care of their own kids. How much more won't a God who loves you—who's crazy about you—take care of your needs?!

He opens his hand (with no effort on his part) and we're taken care of. You know that we've had some financial struggles at Grace—behind on our bills to the tune of a little over $14,000. But what you maybe don't know is that a few weeks ago we were given a gift by an anonymous donor—a non-member who doesn't even live in Alaska—in the amount of $15,000. God opened his hand and satisfied our desires. [Snap.] Just like that!

Why does God bless us so much? Purely out of love! Think of your pets, if you have any. Why do you feed them? Do they work for you? Do they earn their keep? Not really. But you open your hand and feed your pet. And probably give it more than just food. Why? Out of love. There is no other reason. And that's why God blesses us so much too. Luther wrote, "All this God does only because he is my good and merciful Father in heaven, and not because I have earned or deserved it."

God has certainly blessed us by his love!

So what's our response? Pure praise and thanks, right? Well… if we're honest, not always. Sometimes we hear the word promise that God "the desires of every living thing"  and we think or even say, "Well then, God, here's what I want. And we proceed to place our order. But such malcontent (and that's really what it is) shows our ingratitude and says to God, "You haven't given me enough yet!" "If only I had ______", and you fill in the blank, "then I would be happy." What ingratitude we show!

Or, we misuse and abuse the gifts God has given. We use them for perverted and selfish purposes. One is given a computer, an incredibly useful tool, but  uses it for evil illegal downloads or bringing pornography into the home. Another is given food in many varieties and great amounts, but uses it to over-eat and under-exercise. Another is given many dollars from God (who gives us the ability to work) and spends them recklessly, putting the support of the church out of thanks to God at the bottom of the list of uses—if there is any left. All of us regularly use the blessings God has given and still richly and daily showers us on us, for selfish, self-serving ends.

What's the result? We incur God's wrath. We try his patience. "Dad-can-I? Dad-can-I? Dad-can-I?" How long would you put up with such arrogant demands driven by a sense of entitlement and ingratitude? God ought to be angry with us. God ought to take away all of his blessings. That would be hell (literally—that's what hell is—the absence of God and all of his blessings).

And when we realize that that's what we deserve for our whiney ingratitude, then, what we desire most is not more stuff, but forgiveness. And God meets that need...

 

II. He Feeds Us With His Love

 

God ought to be angry with us. But... But he's not. Instead, verse eight tells us that he is "slow to anger." Literally the Hebrew says he is "long in nose." Does God look like Pinocchio? No. It's a Hebrew idiom. You see, when you get really angry, you get flushed in the face. Your nose gets red like Rudolph. But if you're long of nose, it takes a long time for it to get lit up. It takes a long time for you to get angry. God is very patient. He puts up with our whiney demands and doesn't get angry very quickly. But more than just patient, God even takes away our sin!

8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. 9 The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

That love and compassion that God has for us is evident not only the way he blesses us and protects us in the first article, but especially in the way he rescues us in the second article.

King David said, "One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts." And we do tell of God's mighty acts—that God himself took on human flesh to become man like us!

King David said, "5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works." And we do meditate on the wonderful miracles that Jesus performed, proving his divinity!

King David said, "They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds." And this morning I tell you of God's awesome work in dying on the cross. I tell you of the power of that act: to pay for your every sin! I proclaim Jesus' great deed of rising from the dead to prove that you are forgiven—of every abuse of God's gifts, of every selfish demand driven by ingratitude, of every sin you've ever committed!

King David said, "They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness." And we do sing of the righteousness that God has given to us through Jesus.

That desire for forgiveness that God's law has awakened in us, that deep yearning to be at peace with God, well, that desire, God satisfies. He opens his hand to satisfy that desire by opening both hands to be nailed to a cross. He gives us our food at the proper time, feeding us not just with physical food, but with spiritual food—with the Gospel, with body and blood, in, with, and under the bread and wine. And by that food he assures us we are forgiven.

And the only way that we know all this is because one generation did tell the next of God's love. And that generation told the next, and that generation told the next… This week as we discussed different Bible translations at our district convention, I was reminded again of what a blessing it is that we have a Bible in English at all! That's because God in his grace preserved the truth for us. From our spiritual fathers, and in many of our cases, through our physical fathers, we've learned  these truths. And if that's the case, be sure to thank your dad for that great gift! (Thanks, dad!)

Yes, God certainly "is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made." God has not only blessed us by his love, but he has blessed us with his love—with his forgiving love in Christ. He certainly does provide for all that we need. Maybe not all we want, but definitely all we need.

"Well, what about where it says he satisfies the desires of every living thing?!" one might object. But look again at the context. Verse 19 says, "He fulfills the desires of those who fear him." You see, when we fear God, what we desire changes. Fear God and we don't want sinful things. We don't want what will serve me. We want what will bring glory to him.

 

Now, what's our response? "For all this I ought to thank and praise, to serve and obey him." We can't help but thank and praise God just as King David did in Psalm 145. In fact, we can't not praise him! And not just with our words, but we praise him in how we live. We praise him every day for ever and ever. And we praise him by telling others. Don't keep it to yourself. Tell everyone that our loving Father feeds us, his children, by providing for all of our needs, especially satisfying our desire for peace with him.

And today, on Father's Day, I'll especially encourage you to tell the next generation of our loving Father. Support the work of the church here that at the school the next generation may know of God's mighty acts. Support the work of our synod that trains pastors and teachers and sends out missionaries that the next generation may know of his wonderful works. Tell your own kids and grandkids yourself that the next generation might know of his great deeds. Then, together we can, "celebrate [God's] abundant goodness and joyfully sing of [his] righteousness." "This is most certainly true." Amen. 


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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“In the Image of God” What Does This Mean? (A sermon based on Genesis 1:26-31 and Colossians 3:10)

Last week we began a new sermon series reviewing the Apostle's Creed and Luther's explanation to it in his Small Catechism. (You can find it at our website by clicking here.) In that sermon we focused on the first part of the first article, rejoicing in how God created mankind in his image, but even more in how he has restored that image in us...

Ever wonder what God looks like? Did Michelangelo get it right? More importantly, what do you look like to God? God created mankind in his image and gives each of us incredible gifts. But we don't always use those gifts to bring glory to him. We don't look much like our self-sacrificing God because the image of God has been lost for us. But in Christ, the image is restored. When God sees us, he sees Christ. So we are perfect to God. Now we long to use our gifts to serve him in thanks. Read or listen to (download or stream) this sermon based on Genesis 1:26-31 and Colossians 3:10 and rejoice that image of God has been restored in you...

"In the Image of God" What Does This Mean?

A sermon based on Genesis 1:26-31 and Colossians 3:10

Sunday, June 10, 2012 – 1st Article to the Apostles' Creed (Part 1)

 

A Kindergarten teacher was observing the children in her classroom while they were drawing pictures. She walked around the room to see each child's art. When she asked one little girl who was working diligently what she was drawing, the girl replied, "I'm drawing God." The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like." Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."


What does God look like? Ever wonder? After all, if mankind was made in the image of God, God must look like us, right? At least, that's how many artists have depicted him—an elderly man with a flowing white bear—just like Michelangelo's God reaching out to touch Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. But is that what the phase "Image of God" really means?


As we examine the Apostles' Creed, we begin with a look at God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, who created us and all that exists, who gave us our bodies and souls, eyes, ears and all our members, our minds and all our abilities. And we'll especially look at that phrase, "the image of God," and ask, "What does this mean?"


Our lesson is from Genesis 1:26-31….

 

26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

27   So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."

29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.

31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.


I.              The Image Lost

 

There's no doubt about it. God's creation is exquisite! His wisdom and power is displayed in all he's made, but perhaps nowhere as much in humanity. "I believe that God created me and all that exists, and that he gave me my body and soul, eyes, ears and all my members, my mind and all my abilities."


Just consider the eye, that takes light waves bouncing off of different surfaces and transmits all that data to the brain to make sense of color and shadow, depth and movement, and even convert symbols like signs and letters into thoughts and concepts. Consider the ear that catches vibrations in the ear and sends them to the brain to interpret as words or to filter out as background noise. (Hopefully you're hearing me as the former.)


Consider our minds that can accomplish amazing things like building homes and cars and machinery and big drills that give us the oil to operate all of those. Consider the abilities he's given to create computers and write books, to compose music and sing hymns, to make art and think deep thoughts. Surely, mankind was made in the image of God, right?


Well, yes. But what exactly does that mean?


A few years ago our copy machine repairman, Brian, came into the church office at Gethsemane Lutheran in Raleigh. Being polite he asked me, "How are you doing today?" And I, having just listened to financial advisor and radio talk show host, Dave Ramsey, replied as Dave always does and said, "I'm doing much better than I deserve." But Brian challenged me. He said, "Don't sell yourself short. You're a good guy! You deserve great things in life!" And I thought what a wonderful opportunity to talk about sin and grace. "Actually," I replied, "I'm not a great guy. At least, not according to God's standard. I'm a sinner. And I deserve hell. But I don't get it because of God's grace."


I thought Brian would drop it. But he didn't. He said, "You're not a bad guy. You were made in the image of God. And God is good." He thought he had me. So I handed him a Bible. I asked him to look up Genesis 1:26 and he did. He read it and said, "See! It says man was made in the image of God." "Okay," I said, "now turn to Genesis 5:3. And he read, "When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth."


"You see?" I said, "God made Adam in his image. But Adam's son, Seth, was born in Adam's—not God's—image. That is, Seth inherited Adam's sinful nature. Seth, like Adam, was not a good guy. And every person born ever since has inherited that corruption. The image of God has been lost."


God (the Father) is a spiritual being. And as such he has no body, no eyes or ears or hands or feet (unless of course he chooses to for a time). But having body and soul, eyes and ears, mind, and abilities, are not what "the image of God" is all about. The image of God is his moral perfection—a perfection that he made man (Adam) with. A perfection that was quickly lost.


And we demonstrate that the image of God has been lost to us as the image of Adam that consumes us rebels against God just as Adam did. God gave us our bodies and souls, our eyes and ears, our mind and all our abilities to serve him and to bring glory and honor to him in all that we say, think, and do. That's why he created us—to be the objects of his love that we might love him in return.


But by nature, we only use our bodies and souls, our eyes and ears, our mind and all our abilities to serve—not God—but ourselves. Our eyes look at images they shouldn't and glorify violence and adultery. Our ears devour gossip like choice morsels of dessert. Our minds conjure new ways of sinning and better ways of avoiding the consequences. We use our abilities to try to bring glory to ourselves rather than to our God who so lovingly made us.


I demonstrate that the image of God has been lost in me when I use my wit to insult others. I show my fallen sinful nature when I use my mind and my abilities to find shortcuts to my work, instead of using all of my gifts to offer my very best to God. And I sin and rebel against God. And so do you. Sometimes you too use your God-given gifts and abilities to serve yourselves instead of him.


What does God look like? Well… nothing like me. That's for sure. And because I'm not perfect in the image of God I can't enter God's perfect kingdom of heaven either. Because if God let me in to heaven the way I am now, it would be like letting someone with an infectious disease into quarantine. I would be sure to ruin everything and perfection would no longer be perfect.


But does that mean I'm lost to hell just as God's image is lost to me?  No. It doesn't. Why not? Well, that's where our epistle lesson for this morning comes in…


II.            The Image Restored 

"For you died," Paul wrote, "and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3) We couldn't fix the problem. When I'm working on a drawing or a painting I'll sometimes goof up and the image I'm trying to create is lost. But usually I can erase the blunder or paint over the problem. But that's not how it is with the image of God. It's more like a mural on a wall filled with mold. You can whitewash a tomb and make it look fresh and clean on the surface, but inside it's still full of death and decay. Someone once said, "Beauty is skin dip. But ugly is to the bone." And there's some truth in that. The cancer of sin infects us deep. We might look nice on the surface, but inside we've lost the image of God.

And we couldn't fix the problem. We couldn't. But God could. God did. God crucified Christ for our flaws, for our imperfections, for our perverted use of the bodies he gave us, for the twisted use of our minds, for the selfish use of our abilities. Jesus took the blame for our sin. And by faith we died with him. Our sin has been paid for. And in it's place, God has painted a beautiful, priceless masterpiece of Jesus' flawless image. "Your life is now hidden with Christ in God." That is, when God looks at you, he sees the image of Jesus.

For "you… have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." The image of God that was lost in Adam's fall into sin has been restored in Christ's rescue from sin. The image of God is the righteousness he created Adam with. The image of God is the righteousness he's restored in you though faith in Christ. Certainly rejoice in God's splendor and majesty that he displays in his creation! But rejoice all the more in the grace and love he shows in making you new again and restoring the image of God in you. As Paul put it in 2 Corinthians 5:17: "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

"The image of God." What does this mean? What does God look like? Well, he looks like love. He looks like grace. He looks like mercy. He looks like… well, Christ. He is the perfect image of God.

Why did God do all this? Luther put it well when said, "All this God does only because he is my good and merciful Father in heaven, and not because I have earned or deserved it." And he also put it well when he suggested the only proper response: "For all this I ought to thank and praise, to serve and obey him."

Now we use our God-given abilities to serve him in unending thanks! Now we use our bodies to God's glory—recognizing that they're not really our bodies, but his, given to us for a while on loan and we treat them accordingly with special care. Now we use our souls to glorify God, not just going through the motions, but worshiping him with our inmost being. Now we use our minds to manage and care for God's creation and be good managers of the blessings he's given us. Now we faithfully use our abilities no longer in selfish pursuits, but in service to God and to other people.

Now we "Put to death… whatever belongs to [our] earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry…" Now we , "rid [ourselves] of… anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from [our] lips. [We] do not lie to each other, since [we] have taken off [our] old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." (Colossians 3:5-10)

Yes, praise God that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. And praise God that, in Christ, you are made new in God's image again! And praise God, not just here in worship, not just with words, but in your daily lives as you humbly use your gifts to serve your family and your friends, your neighbors and your co-workers, your church and her members, and complete strangers. Because you know that "For all [God has done] [we] ought to thank and praise, to serve and obey him. This is most certainly true!" Amen.


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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