Monday, May 9, 2016

​The Kingdom is Restored (A sermon based on Acts 1:1-11)

The kingdom of God is restored! It's restored to us by Jesus work which is complete. How do we know? He wouldn't have left if there were still work for him to do. It is finished! Our salvation is won! But... he's left work for us to do -- not to earn his forgiveness, but to thank him for it -- we're eager to be his witnesses and expand the kingdom as we share the message of his grace. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Acts 1:1-11 and rejoice in Jesus' ascension and be Jesus' witness! 

​Rise and Witness!
​​
The Kingdom is Restored
A sermon based on Acts 1:1-11
Sunday, May 8, 2016 – Ascension Sunday C

Chuck's mom wasn't doing well. It honestly didn't look she had much time left on this earth. While her body was shutting down, her mind was still sharp. And she could still speak clearly. So she gathered her children around her hospital bed. She wanted to leave them all with some parting words—one last piece of advice for her children to heed before she could no longer advise them. And as you can imagine, those words were chosen carefully. They carried great weight to Chuck and to his siblings. They wouldn't forget what mom said. She ended her speech, "Love God. Stay in his Word. Love each other." And with those final words spoken, Chuck's mom passed away that night.
It's a similar setting before us this morning. Jesus was going away. Not to his death. He'd already been there and back. He already gave his last will and testament in the upper room the night before he died. But now he had been back from the grave and had been teaching his disciples what his life, death, and resurrection all meant. But he wouldn't stay long. After forty days he was going to leave them again. He was going to ascend back into the heaven from which he came. But before he did, he left his disciples with some parting words, with one last piece of advice, with words that carry weight still to each one of us.
And Jesus spoke about his Kingdom and how it was restored. The kingdom of God was restored by Jesus' work for his disciples. Jesus' ascension was one more proof that that work was all done. There was nothing left for them to do but learn those truths. And they would at Pentecost. But still, Jesus also had work for them to do. To help others learn those truths.
And both of those lessons are important for us to learn today: First, that God's kingdom is restored by Jesus' ascension. Then, that God's kingdom is restored by Jesus' witnesses, that is, by you and me. Our text for this morning is taken from Acts 1:1-11…

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

As Jesus was about to leave his disciples, they wanted to know about the restoration of the kingdom. Now, they clearly had a mistaken concept of the Kingdom of God in their minds. They were thinking of a physical kingdom with borders and a political kingdom where they could have utopia on earth.
But, nevertheless, Jesus did answer them. In a sense he told them how the Kingdom of God was restored. It was restored through his work for them, his death and resurrection. And they would understand that better once the Holy Spirit enlightened them to those truths and helped them to understand that God's Kingdom wasn't about politics or borders, but God ruling in people's hearts through faith in Jesus.
But Jesus also told his disciples how they would be a part of the kingdom's restoration as he gave them his parting word to them and told them they would become powerful witnesses. As they spread the message of Jesus' work, the kingdom would expand. And with that, he ascended into heaven…

I.              By Jesus' Ascension

John didn't know much about plumbing, so when the pipe under the counter sprung a leak, he wrapped it in duct tape and called the plumber. The plumber came and did the work. He stopped the leak and gave John the bill. John paid and thanked him for the work.
But then, to John's surprise, the plumber didn't leave. He sat down on the couch and asked John, "So, how long have you lived here? What do you do for fun?" John was confused. He asked the plumber If he used some sort of epoxy or glue? Was he waiting around for it to dry? Was the job not really done?"
"Oh, no. It's done. You're good to go. I just don't have plans tonight."

How odd it would be if someone finished the job they came to do, but then didn't leave. You might rightly wonder, like John did, "Is the job really done?"
Well, people have often wondered, "Why did Jesus have to ascend into heaven? Why not just stay here on earth until Judgment Day?" Well, one of the answers is that he completed his work. It's done. He didn't need to stick around because the job he came to do is finished. His ascension is proof of that.
And there are many other convincing proofs that Jesus has accomplished what he came to do. Those were the convincing proofs that Jesus showed to his disciples to prove that he was alive in order to prove that his mission was accomplished in order to prove that the Father accepted the work that Jesus did.
And so in his parting words to his disciples he told them to stay there for a bit that they might better learn from the Holy Spirit about the Kingdom of God.
"Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
In just ten more days they would learn that Jesus was not a political Savior, but a Savior from sin, that the Kingdom was won by his perfect life and innocent death in our place, that the resurrection was the proof, that they had seen the proof, that the kingdom already had been won, torn away from satan, and restored by God as sinners were restored to God.

You too now the truth about the Kingdom of God—that God rules in your hearts, not through politics, that his kingdom is of heaven, not of this earth. You know that he already restored us to God by his perfect life in our place doing all the good we've left undone, by his innocent death in our place paying for the times we've been too selfish or apathetic to share the Gospel with others. You know that his resurrection is the proof that Jesus' payment for us is acceptable to the Father. We are restored to God and the kingdom is restored to him.
And Jesus' ascension is the final proof. The job is done. His work is complete. All he set out to do is finished. So he could go back home.
Now, don't just cling to those truths for yourself and rejoice that God's kingdom has come to you in your heart. Also go share these truths that God's kingdom might expand!

II.            By Jesus' Witnesses

The judge called for the next witness. The attorney called for Aurora who took the stand. She didn't look nervous at all. When asked, "Where were you the night that this incident took place?" she readily admitted, "I was right there the whole time."
"So, you saw everything that took place that night?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Well, would you please tell us what happened?"
"Um… No."
"'Um… No?'?! What do you mean,  "No'?!"
"I don't really want to tell you. I don't like being in the witness stand. And I'm kind of bored. I won't tell you what I saw. I'm just going to go home now."

How odd it would be if someone saw an incident take place and had information to share that could preserve someone's freedom or preserve someone's life, but simply refused to share what they saw. A witness is one who sees something and "witnessed" the event. But it's also someone who tells what they see and gives their testimony.
And so in his parting words to his disciples Jesus told them not just to stay put in Jerusalem to learn the truths of his kingdom, but then to go, get out and tell those truths that would advance his kingdom.
He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
People have often wondered, "Why did Jesus have to ascend into heaven? Why not just stay here on earth until Judgment Day?" Well, one of the answers is that he completed his work. But another answer is so that the word could get out.
Just imagine if Jesus were still physically present here on earth, teaching in some synagogue somewhere, would any of you want to come here to listen to me? Of course not! You'd get much better sermons from Jesus! But how many people could you pack into one synagogue? And how often do you think you'd make it to church in Israel?
So Jesus left and ascended into heaven so people wouldn't focus on his physical person and think of him as the only truly capable pastor. But instead through missionaries, through pastors, through teachers, through parents, through you, people can focus on Jesus' message (instead of his person) and see him as their Savior (not just the best pastor).

You know Luke begins this book as he did his Gospel, with a dedication to Theophilus. Did you know that there's a certain debate as to who this man was. Some believe he was a governor and "Most Excellent Theophilus" was his name and title. Others suggest that he may have been Luke's patron, a wealthy man who funded his travels and paid for the publication of Luke's writings. But still others suggest that Theophilus wasn't an actual historical figure at all because the name, "Theophilus," when translated, means, "Friend of God," "Loved by God," or "One Who Loves God."
If it's not a personal name, but ought to be translated, then Luke didn't write his books to a single individual, but to every believer who loves God because he or she is loved by God and is friends with him. In other words, it's written to you and to me.
But either way, the message is still meant for you and me. We, who love God because he first loved us… We who love God for all he's done to restore the kingdom of God to us by faith in our hearts, are eager to be his witnesses.
Right now I'm reading a book called Evangelism for the Rest of Us. I'm loosely basing our Wednesday night Bible Class on the book. (You should come this Wednesday night if you can!) But in that book the author correctly says…
"There's something inside many of us that says God's feeling toward us is dependent on whether or not we share our faith. But to keep our theology straight, we need to separate (1) God's unconditional love for us and (2) doing his work… God wants us to intentionally, in the way he designed us, move people closer to him. But that's not the basis for his love for us." 
We know that the basis for his love for us is Jesus and his finished work for us. And because of Jesus' work for us, we know that we will always have God's unconditional love. So we witness, not so that we might have his love, but because his love is so great for us, that we can't help but talk about it to others.

If someone has an infection, you know what they do to help it. They stick a needle into that person. They inject antibiotics into that person. But then they don't leave the needle in. They pull it out and let the blood stream circulate the antibiotics through the whole body.
In a sense, this is how God works to restore his kingdom. When the world was sick with sin, God sent his Son into the world as the cure. But he didn't stay in the world. He left again. But he left his church to do the work circulate that Gospel cure throughout the whole world.
That's our job. We are his witnesses. That's the job we're glad to do in thanks to him. For his kingdom is restored by his work. That's demonstrated by Christ's ascension. He wouldn't have left if there were still work to do. But his kingdom is also restored by his witnesses—by us—as we get the word out.

Christ high-ascended, now in glory seated,
Throned and exalted, victory completed,
Death's dread dominion finally defeated
We are his witnesses.

In Jesus' name, dear friends, let's go get the word out! Amen!

In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church
47585 Ciechanski Road, Kenai, AK 99611
pastorguenther@gmail.com
(907) 690-1660

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Monday, May 2, 2016

​Rise and Walk! Gods Among Us (A sermon on Acts 14:8-18)

If you saw a real-life super hero would you think there were gods among us? When the people of Lystra saw Paul miraculously heal a lame man, they thought he was a god. But Paul refused to accept their praise. Instead he gave glory to God alone. We too often are tempted to accept the praise of people instead of seeking the glory of God. But we thank God that he did walk among us to take our place and save us. Now he calls us to be heroes to others as we give him the glory. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Acts 14:8-18 and be encouraged to be the hero that God has made you to be... 

​Rise and Walk!

Gods Among Us

A sermon on Acts 14:8-18

Sunday, May 1, 2016 – Easter 6C

 

There's a video game on the market with what sounds like a blasphemous title. It's called "Injustice: Gods Among Us." It's not really about gods though and there are much worse video game themes out there like Grand Theft Auto where the goal is to commit violent crimes, or Diablo or certain Final Fantasy games where you channel the power of demons as you fight battles. But God's Among Us is really about superheroes: Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern battling against other characters who all have "god-like" powers, thus, the name Gods Among Us.

But what if you really saw a super hero in real life with your own eyes? What if you witnessed someone do something that was inexplicable by natural forces? If you saw someone fly (without a plane or jet pack), or shoot lasers from their eyes, turn into fire and then back again, run faster than a bullet, or watch a bullet bounce off their chest… what would you think? Would you thing there might be Gods Among Us?

That's what happened in a city in modern day Turkey called Lystra. The inhabitants of that town saw something they would never forget. They saw what they thought were gods among them. Superheroes with amazing super powers. They saw Paul miraculously heal a man crippled in his feet, lame from birth, who had never walked.

"Rise and walk," Paul said. "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk. And the people were amazed. They thought there were gods among them. The account of those events are recorded for us in Acts 14:8-18…

 

8 In Lystra there sat a man crippled in his feet, who was lame from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed 10 and called out, "Stand up on your feet!" At that, the man jumped up and began to walk.

11 When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form!" 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. 13 The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought bulls and wreaths to the city gates because he and the crowd wanted to offer sacrifices to them.

14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting: 15 "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you. We are bringing you good news, telling you to turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. 16 In the past, he let all nations go their own way. 17 Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." 18 Even with these words, they had difficulty keeping the crowd from sacrificing to them.

 

You know, I've read this account dozens of times before, but you know what really stood out to me this time? The reaction of Paul and Barnabas to being called gods. They had the celebrity status, the hero worship, that so many people chase after today. And what did they do about it? Well, they didn't bask in the glory. Instead, they tore their clothes in frustration and scolded their adoring fans: "Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you."

Their response got me thinking, "How would I have responded?"  How would you? If people mistakenly thought you were a god, would you stop them from worshipping you? If people mistakenly thought you a hero, would you let them continue to believe it? If you could have celebrity status and the fame and fortune that goes with being a rock star or trophy winning athlete, would you accept the praise of men? If you were given an undeserved promotion would you turn it down? If you were praised for being such a good a great employee, such a smart student, or such a wonderful spouse, would you give the glory to God? Or would you accept the praise as if you deserved it all?

The reality is that we do face such choices every day. Will we accept the praise of people? Or seek only the glory of God? The choice is ours…

You know, there's a fine line between a super hero and a super villain. Both have amazing powers, it's just a question of how they're going to use them.

Lately, the super hero movies have become a bit more realistic, I think, than they were in the 50's and 60's. Back then, good and evil was always painted in black and white. You knew who the good guys were. You knew who the bad guys were. And the bad guys were always bad, and the good guys were always good.

But now, they show the heroes becoming corrupt, putting on the black suit, and turning villain. And they portray the villains having a change of heart and turning hero. The good guys turn bad; the bad guys turn good. And Batman fights Superman. And Captain America fights Iron Man.

I think the newer films are more honest as they wrestle with those questions and highlight the choices people are free to make. They show the inner struggle of one who has great powers wrestling with questions of morality and how to use those powers.

And I think we can relate. That struggle is really just portraying what every individual struggles with in his or her conscience, and perhaps, even more, what every Christian struggles with with his or her Old Adam and New Man. The truth is, you have great powers. And to quote Peter Parker's—that is, Spiderman's—Uncle Ben, "With great power comes great responsibility."

Your tongue is incredibly powerful. You can use it to your glory or to God's. It can destroy reputations and careers, or it can offer people hope and eternal life, turning them, "from these worthless things to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them."

Your dollars have incredible power. They can be used to your glory or to God's. They can be used for relatively worthless things that will be forgotten a few short years from now, or they can accomplish amazing things, building monuments in heaven, where the moth and rust cannot destroy. God "has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

And we are held accountable by God, for what we do with the gifts and abilities that he has given us. We can't sit by and say nothing, give nothing, do nothing and declare, "Not my problem," like Spidey once did when he watched a man get robbed. No. "With great power comes great responsibility." And we have great powers that we've used ir-responsibly.

We may think, "I would never worship Zeus or Hermes. How could anyone think those really were gods among us?" But don't we really do that to ourselves? We consider ourselves gods, as if we were in charge of our lives, as if others were put here only to serve us, as if they ought to make sacrifices for us, as if our pleasure and happiness were the only goal in life, as if we were the only ones that matter.

In his Large Catechism Martin Luther explained that we break the first commandment anytime we fear, love, or trust in anyone or anything other than God. We make that person or thing our true god. And anytime we break any of the commandments we really put our desires and wishes ahead of God's, making ourselves to be god. Though we will likely never be mistaken for Zeus or Hermes, nevertheless, we often act as if there weren't just gods among us, but as if we were gods on earth.

And you know what we deserve for such hubris in the face of the one true God who alone deserves any glory. We deserve Hades—not the mythological god of the underworld, but the very real hell that that word, Hades, has come to represent. For worshipping false gods and making ourselves to be gods, we deserve to be separated from the one true God forever.

So thank God that there really was a God among us. The true and only God left, not just Mount Olympus, but heaven itself. He came to live among us as Immanuel—God with us. He came not to be worshiped but to worship his Father by a life of perfect obedience. So he left the admiration and adoration of the angels for the rejection and ridicule of rebels. He came, not to be served, but to be sacrificed. So he left the praise of paradise to take the crushing cross for our selfish sin. Like a superhero, he sacrificed himself and gave his all to rescue us.

And that makes all the difference to us! We don't need to sacrifice bulls to Zeus or to Jehovah. We don't need to give our contribution to get absolution. We don't need to offer our service to earn our salvation. The once for all sacrifice has been made. Now we are forgiven. We are redeemed. We are no longer identified as the villains that we were, but as sons and daughters of God!

And as sons and daughters of God, we've been given divine powers from our Father! We may not have superhuman strength or agility. We may not be able to fly or shoot webs. We may not have powers to miraculously strengthen the legs of the lame, to make a tumor disappear, or to make cancer vanish. But we do have powers to forgive as God has forgiven us. We do have powers to offer comfort and hope in a way an unbeliever never could. We do have powers to speak words that give immortality to the soul! What super powers we have!

Now, let's use those powers and be superheroes, heroes that do super things for others. Let's go help those who struggle to take care of themselves, maybe not in exactly the same way as Paul did for that cripple, but as we help alleviate their agony and ease their pain. Let's go share the message of the God who walked among us to not just ease our burden or sin, but to completely remove our guilt forever, just as Paul and Barnabas did.

Let's use the super powers of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) Let's use the supernatural abilities that God has given us to serve, to teach, to encourage, to give generously, to govern diligently, to show mercy cheerfully. (Romans 12:7-8) Let's choose to use our powers for good and not for evil. Let's use our powers to put others ahead of ourselves, to serve them, to help them without seeking any praise or glory for us and be the super heroes that God has made us to be. And let's do it all in thanks for our hero, Jesus, who is God among us, to rescue us forever! In his name, dear friends, amen.​


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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Monday, April 25, 2016

Rise and Shine! (And Give God the Glory!) A sermon based on Acts 13:44-52

Rise and shine and give God the glory! That's what God tells Paul and Barnabas in this week's sermon. They were to get up and go and be a light to the Gentiles as they shared Jesus, the Light of the World, and his Gospel message with non-Jews. We too are called by God to rise and shine and give God the glory! We give him the glory for rescuing us from sin and hell. And we give him the glory by sharing that message with others. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Acts 13:44-52 and be encouraged to rise and shine! 

Rise and Shine! (And Give God the Glory!)

A sermon based on Acts 13:44-52

Sunday, April 24, 2016 – Easter 5C

 

The proverb found in Proverbs 27:14, "If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse," comes to mind when I think back to my childhood days and recall my mom throwing open my bedroom door and singing loudly to a tired little boy just trying to get a few more winks of sleep before having to get up and get ready for school, "Riiiiise! And shiiiine! And give God the glory-glory! Riiiiise! And shiiiine! And give God the glory-glory! Rise! And! Shine! And! Give God the glory-glory, children of the Lord!" Then she'd add, "Seriously, Robert, rise and shine. It's time to get moving."

In a sense, that's what we hear God telling Paul and Barnabas in our text for this morning. He wanted them to rise and shine—to be a light for the Gentiles (or non-Jews). And he wanted them to get moving, not to stay in Pisidian Antioch for more than a short time, but to go elsewhere to carry the light of the Gospel to others—to Gentiles.

And God tells us what he wants us to do as well. He wants us to rise and shine and he wants us to get moving. He wants us to give God the glory for rescuing us by the light of the Gospel. And he wants us to give God the glory as we get moving and try to rescue others with that light.

This morning we hear the results of Paul's sermon in Pisidian Antioch (which we heard last week), which (ironically) took place one week after he preached there. The events are recorded for us in Acts 13:44-52…

 

44 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and talked abusively against what Paul was saying.

46 Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. 47 For this is what the Lord has commanded us: "'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"

48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

49 The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 50 But the Jews incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. 51 So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. 52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.


I.        Rescued by the Light

Adrian was out hiking in the woods with his kids. And they were having a great time. They had so much fun, in fact, that Adrian completely lost track of the time. Before he knew it, it was time to head back or they would be caught out here in the dark. He gathered up the kids and got them moving right away.

But Adrian, being unfamiliar with these woods, took a wrong turn and went down another path. Then trying to correct himself he added a second wrong turn. And soon, before he knew it, a deep darkness settled in the woods. And he had failed to bring a flashlight.

What was he going to do? The kids were getting tired and now scared. And if he were being honest, he was a bit scared too. Would they spend their night out here—and without a tent? How would they ever get back to the car?

Even though Adrian knew that it would panic the kids, he couldn't help it. He was starting to panic himself. So he let out an angry and frightened cry of frustration! Aaaaaargh!!!

And later he would thank God that he did. Because it after a few more minutes of panic, he heard a cry back. "Hello? Is someone out there?" And then Adrian saw the light. Another hiker was still on the trails. But he had a flashlight! Maybe he knew the way out of these woods!

Sure enough Adrian met a man named Aaron who approach him and said, "Everything okay? Anyone hurt? Good. Get a little turned around out here? Need some help? There's only one path that goes back to the road. Come on. I'll show you."

What relief Adrian felt! He'd been rescued by someone with a light!

 

In a way, Adrian's story is similar to our own. We were once lost in the darkness. Not literally, but spiritually lost, groping around in the darkness, trying to make sense of life, trying to make sense of the pain and the panic and the frustrations that we faced. We were so hopelessly lost that we were doomed to spend not just a night, but an eternity in hopeless darkness.

But we were rescued.

Isaiah prophesied about Jesus (in Isaiah 9:2), "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." And when Jesus came, he said of himself, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

The Light has come to rescue us! The Light of the World has saved us from eternal darkness.

"Rise and shine and give God the glory?" That's exactly what Jesus did. He rose to the occasion of leaving heaven to live a humble life on earth, even under his own law. And he was a shining example as he kept it perfectly. But he was more than just an example as he kept the law perfectly in our place. He literally rose when he was raised up on a cross to pay for our sin. And he shined victorious over sin and hell. And he literally rose when he came back to life and shined in his resurrected glory on Easter morning.

"Rise and shine and give God the glory?" That's what Jesus was all about: bringing glory to God by rising and shining and rescuing us from the darkness of death and hell by his life, death, and resurrection.

 

And thank God that he didn't stop there, but that he also sent a messenger to you to tell you about it—some parent or pastor or teacher or friend, some Paul or Barnabas—to illumine your path by sharing the Gospel with you so you see Jesus for who he is: The Light of the World, the Light even for us Gentiles, the Light that bring salvation to the very ends of the earth!

Because someone has shared that message with us, Christ now shines to us, not as a faint, dim light that guides us as we walk out of our problems, but as the rescue light that found us when we were lost, that saved us from sin, death and hell! Now we know that we have been "appointed for eternal life," and that heaven is our eternal address, that we have been rescued, and that we will be brought safely home!

Now be glad and honor the Word of the Lord! And one way we honor it is to read it and learn it and know it better. But another way to honor the word is to know it better, not just to know it better for ourselves, but to better share it with others. Now we shine that same light to others to help find them…

 

II.      Rescue with the Light

Aaron was out hiking in the woods. And he was having a great time. He was enjoying his hike so much fun, in fact, that Aaron completely lost track of the time. Before he knew it, it was already getting dark! It was definitely time to head back to the car. Thankfully he brought his powerful mag light. Otherwise he might get caught out here in the dark. He gathered up his gear and got moving right away.

But as he was hiking in the dark, shining the light on the path in front of him, he heard a strange noise. It wasn't an animal. It sounded more human. It sounded sort of like an angry and frightened cry of frustration! Aaaaaargh!!!

What to do? He was already late and wouldn't be home when he told his wife he would be. If he went in the direction of the cry he'd be even later. But, still, what if someone was hurt or in trouble. He shined his light down a different path and went in search of the cry.

And later, he would thank God that he did make that decision, because it wasn't long until he found them—a man named Adrian and his two kids, terribly lost and scared in the dark. What relief he saw on the man's face and on the face of those poor kids! He would lead them to the road and to their car. He would help rescue them.

 

In a way, Aaron's story is similar to our own. We have the light. We know how to navigate through this life with the light. But we're not content to be only concerned about ourselves. We use the light that we have to help rescue others.

You see, we aren't called to be just lighthouses beckoning everyone to come see our our light, just don't get too close. No! We're called to be the rescue party that goes to find others, taking the light to them, just as Jesus found us!

Will it be inconvenient? Of course! Might others talk abusively against us? Sure! Might they even stir up persecution against us and even expel us from the region. Yeah, it's possible. But we will rise to the occasion and we will shine in those moment of truth as we live for Jesus, not our own personal comfort, confident that if those things happen, God will work them all for his good purposes.

Just look how Jesus used abuse and persecution for his good purposes with Paul and Barnabas. He used that persecution to drive them to preach to a new group of people. Their plans were frustrated. Some relationships were cut off. They were forced to relocate. But it was God's way of letting them know to get moving—to go somewhere else with the light of the Gospel, to go to the Gentiles.

It's almost certain that in our lives, some of our plans will be frustrated. It's almost certain that some of our relationships will end. And it's not unlikely that many of us may someday relocate to a new residence. But God will use those circumstances to create new opportunities for us to rise and shine the Gospel in the lives of others. Maybe it's his way of saying he wants us to get moving.

Maybe God will allow you to lose your job so you can be a witness to a whole new set of co-workers somewhere else. Maybe God will allow you to end up in the hospital so you can share the joy you have in Jesus with the doctors and nurses. Maybe God will allow a breakup so that he can bring a new boyfriend or girlfriend to faith through you. Maybe he will allow you to endure persecution or pain so you form new friendships and shine the light of the gospel to someone new.

And so, confident that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him," (Romans 8:28) we will rise to the occasion and shine with the light of the Gospel, that others too may know the Light of the World who no darkness can overcome. (John 1:5 NIV)

You know, Jesus didn't just say, "I am the light of the world," in John 8:12. He also said in Matthew 5:14 and 16, "You are the light of the world… let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

So, it's not just a catchy "get out of bed song." It's our motto: as we, "Riiiise and shiiiine and give God the glory-glory!" We give him the glory for shining the light of the Gospel in our lives and rescuing us. And we give him the glory as we shine that light in the lives of others. So rise and shine! And give God the glory-glory, children of the Lord! In Jesus' name, dear friends, amen.


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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

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

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Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Shepherd People to the Shepherd (A sermon based on Acts 13:15-16, 26-33)

Do you want to help shepherd people into heaven? Then learn from the Apostle Paul. As we study a portion of his sermon in Pisidian Antioch, we see how he did two things: First, he pointed people to the Scriptures, that is, the Word of God. Second, he pointed people to the Savior, their Good Shepherd, Jesus. That's all we do too. We point people to the Scriptures, we point people to Jesus, and by shepherding them to the Good Shepherd, we help shepherd them into heaven. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on Acts 13:15-16a, 26-33 and be encouraged to shepherd people to the Shepherd!

Rise and Preach!

Shepherd People to the Shepherd

A sermon based on Acts 13:15-16, 26-33

Sunday, April 17, 2016 – Easter 4C

 

In September of 2016 we're planning on having a Christian Education Sunday here at Grace. In that service we'll set aside time to rejoice in the blessings of Christian Education here at Grace, and through our called worker training system. And on the second Sunday of the month, we're planning on hosting a guest preacher, Pastor Mike Otterstatter, who is the recruitment director for Martin Luther College.

And speaking of guest preachers, Pastor Tom Schmidt, the former pastor at Grace, will be returning to guest preach here on July 17th.

So what do think about guest preachers? Do you like the variety? It does usually break up the monotony of the same guy saying pretty much the same things week after week doesn't it? We pastors usually love to have a guest preacher for a week where we can sit and be fed once in a while instead of doing the feeding as usual. And we joke that it's always a win-win: If the guest pastor doesn't capture your attention like the resident pastor does, the members of the congregation say, "Boy, pastor, we sure are glad to have you as our pastor." But if the guest pastor keeps you on the edge of your seat, the members of the congregation say, "Boy, pastor, you should go on vacation more often."

By the way, did you know that our service is modeled after the service in a synagogue? We follow a liturgy, read several lessons and comment on one of them at length. We say prayers, sing hymns, and go home. But there's one key difference: In the synagogue guest preachers were way more common. Visiting rabbis would be offered the chance to take the pulpit fairly often.

In our text for this morning the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch, a city in the middle of modern day Turkey, invited the apostle, Paul, to be their guest preacher. And Paul, of course, did an outstanding job of preaching. He pointed people to the Scriptures, that is, to the Word of God. And he pointed people to the Good Shepherd, that is, to Jesus. Acts 13:15-16 sets the stage…

15 After the reading from the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue rulers sent word to them, saying, "Brothers, if you have a message of encouragement for the people, please speak." 16 Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and [began to preach]…

Of course, we too can do the same. We too rise to the occasion whenever asked to share our faith. We rise and preach. And we do just as Paul did: We point people to the Scriptures. We point people to the Shepherd. We shepherd people to the Good Shepherd. Let's listen to Acts 13:26-33, the third part of guest preacher Paul's sermon in Pisidian Antioch…

26 "Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29 When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

32 "We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: "'You are my Son; today I have become your Father.'

 

I.     Point People to the Scriptures

Do you know what the word pastor means literally? My Latin I students do. It's one of their vocabulary words. The Latin word pastor literally means Shepherd. That's what a good pastor does. He takes care of the flock.

Pastor Paul was doing his best to shepherd this flock in Antioch. And he was doing a good job. For starters, he was feeding them. He was feeding them with healthy spiritual food of the Word of God. He was sharing the message that God had given his people so long ago and pointing out how it was fulfilled. Did you catch that?

"This message of salvation has been sent. …in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath… they had carried out all that was written about him… What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us… As it is written in the second Psalm…"

Now, I don't know that we have Paul's complete sermon in Acts 13. We might just have a summary that Luke, who wrote the Book of Acts, jotted down as he listened. Paul may very well have gone into more details, referencing "the reading from the Law and the Prophets" that the synagogue rulers had just read.

Perhaps he referenced Isaiah 53, which especially highlights the suffering and death of our Savior. Maybe he pointed out how the Messiah would be "despised and rejected" not embraced, just as the religious leaders had despised and rejected Jesus. Maybe he showed them how it read, "he was pierced for our transgressions," not stoned or hanged, and then pointed out the fulfillment in Jesus' death on a cross. Maybe he showed them how that prophecy twice said, "he did not open his mouth" and made the connection that Jesus went through two mock trials where he remained silent in his defense. Perhaps Paul's sermon explained the apparent contradiction in verse 9: "He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death." Maybe he explained how Jesus was assigned a grave with condemned criminals, but was buried in the new tomb of rich Joseph of Arimathea. And maybe he showed them how verse 11 predicted Jesus' resurrection from the dead 700 years before it happened: "After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life."

When you go home, check out my Facebook page. Scroll down past the bacon recipes and go watch a video on my page of a young Jewish Christian sharing Isaiah 53 with other Jews. You'll see what a powerful prophecy it is.

And I'll bet that even if he didn't reference Isaiah 53, he still shared the main point of verses 5 and 6: "But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." This is, after all, the "message of salvation" that was given to the Jews.

But even if we do have the complete sermon of Paul and this is all he said, the point is the same. Paul pointed his listeners back to the Word of God. He pointed to prophecies fulfilled by Jesus' death. He pointed to prophecies fulfilled by Jesus' resurrection. And he pointed to these prophecies fulfilled as convincing proofs that these things could be believed. These were convincing proofs that this message was from God. These were convincing proofs that their sins were forgiven by Jesus' perfect life and death in their place.

Do you want to shepherd people into to heaven? Then share the Scriptures with them. Of course, to share them, you first need to know them. Read them, study them, learn them. See how the Old Testament prophecies have been fulfilled in Jesus. Learn some of those prophecies that point to Jesus. There are a ridiculous number of them since this seems to be an area where God likes to show off. Or at the very least, just study Isaiah 53 and compare it to Matthew 26-28. Then you'll be ready to share with others the convincing proofs of the Scriptures—the convincing proofs that show that this message of salvation is from God—the convincing proofs that their sins are forgiven by Jesus' perfect life and death in their place. Because, ultimately, the point of these proofs isn't just to show that our beliefs are right and that theirs is wrong. The point of the Scriptures is to point people to the Good Shepherd…

 

II.    Point People to the Shepherd

Paul highlighted the Scriptures and prophecy fulfilled. But he didn't do it just to prove that his Jewish Scriptures were right. He did it to highlight Jesus. His point in proving prophecies fulfilled was to point them to Easter.

But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people. We tell you the good news: What God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.

God raised Jesus from the dead. This was the proof of sins forgiven. Paul's goal wasn't to say, "I'm right. My religion is the true religion. Your religion is wrong." No. His goal was to convince others that it was reasonable to believe what he preached that they too might believe their sins were forgiven.

A good shepherd doesn't just win the argument to prove that he is right. A good shepherd always tries to steer the conversation back to Jesus. So as you try to shepherd people into heaven, don't just try to prove the Bible is right. In fact, you don't need to prove anything. Just share the message of salvation because, "you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent."

And I love that phrase "message of salvation." I think it's an inspired pun. You see it's a message about the salvation that God was won for all people and in that sense it's a message of salvation. But it's also a message through which God gives salvation. It's a message of salvation because it's a saving message.

And you know that message. You know it well. It's the message that "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." It's the message that in spite of how poorly we listen to the voice of our Good Shepherd and read and study his word, in spite of how often we refuse to follow him and turn to our own way, he laid down his life to take away the sin of the world.

Believe that message. You are forgiven for doing a poor job of shepherding people into heaven. You're forgiven for not listening to his voice. You're forgiven for not following him. You're forgiven for all of your sins!

But don't just believe it. Share that message of salvation to point people to the Good Shepherd.

If you don't have a perfectly polished apologetic and don't have an answer to any and every objection. Don't worry. Just point people to the Shepherd. Do like Philip did when Nathanael objected, "Can anything good come from [Nazareth]?!" and simply tell others, "Come and see." (John 1:46) Do like John the Baptist did and point to Jesus saying, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" Just point people to the Good Shepherd who said, "I give [my sheep] eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." (John 10:28) Just point people to the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep to make that happen. (John 10:11)

Yes, pray that God would send more shepherds out. Pray that he would move the hearts of more young people to consider entering the full time ministry. Come to our Christian Education Sunday in September and listen to guest preacher, Pastor Otterstatter. Pray for Grace Lutheran School, for Martin Luther College, and for Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary. Support them with your offerings if you're able to help those training to be full time shepherds.

But don't stop there. You too can shepherd people. You don't need to have the title, pastor, to be a shepherd. And you don't need a degree or to have gone to our called worker training schools. You don't need to have a high school degree or to have made it past the third grade! All you have to do is preach the message. Point people to the Scriptures. And point people to the Good Shepherd. And in doing this, you too, just like Paul, will help shepherd people into heaven. In the name of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for us sheep, amen!


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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

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

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Monday, April 11, 2016

Rise and See! (A sermon based on Acts 9:1–20)

Isn't it nice to be able to see? Thank God for your gift of sight. But thank him even more for the spiritual sight that he's given you. You see clearly how he's rescued you from sin and hell. You see that there's nothing left for you to do because he's done it all for you. Now open your eyes to see those who don't yet know of his grace. See all the opportunities you have to share him with others. Read or listen to (download) this sermon based on the account of Saul's conversion on the road to Damascus in Acts 9:1-20, and thank God for his gift of spiritual sight. See how he has saved us. And see how he can use us to help others to see too!

Rise and See!

A sermon based on Acts 9:1–20

Sunday, April 10, 2016 – Easter 4C

 

There are a handful of times in my life that I've been genuinely scared that my life might end. One of those was when I couldn't see. I had just bought a mo-ped in Raleigh, a 50cc scooter that could maybe hit 40 mph if I was going down a steep hill. I would often ride on the shoulder of the road to let cars pass. Well one night, when I was riding the 8 miles home from church, a downpour hit. And because my glasses kept getting all fogged up if I kept the helmet visor down and rain covered my glasses if I kept the visor up (there are no windshield wipers on a scooter) I could barely see a thing in the dark. But that didn't stop the semi-trucks on the highway from coming within inches of me as they kept barreling past at their regular speeds. I haven't told Becky, but that night, I thought there was good chance that she would become a widow. (Not that she'd have trouble remarrying.) 

But that night while terrifying me, later made me appreciate again God's gift of sight. It's a gift we so often take for granted until we start to lose it. When I can't find my glasses, when the snow is causing a white out on the road, or when you're on a scooter in a downpour, anytime that vision is lost even partially or momentarily, we appreciate what we once had.

What a blessing sight is! How much easier life is if you can see and see clearly. Have you ever considered what it would be like if you went blind tonight? Thank God for that gift of sight. But thank God not just for the physical sight he's given. He's given each of us a much better sight. We have spiritual sight. We see Jesus clearly! We see the way to heaven! We see that there's nothing we have to do to get there! And we see how we can lead others there too.

Our text for consideration this morning is found in Acts 9:1–20…

 

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

5 "Who are you, Lord?" Saul asked.

"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he replied. 6 "Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."

7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!"

"Yes, Lord," he answered.

11 The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight."

13 "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name."

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name."

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

 

 

I. See How He Has Saved You

 

Can you imagine what Saul went through that day on the road? What a shock that day must have been. Here he was faithfully serving God with passion and zeal—doing all within his power, using all of his resources, devoting all of his time—to stamping out this Christian sect that dared to blaspheme Jehovah by suggesting he became a homeless man! He went above and beyond the call of duty not only rooting out such heresies in own city, but traveling to other cities to help them too! It would be like you not just defending the truth here at Grace, but going up to Faith in Anchorage (on foot, mind you) to correct some false teaching there too. What zeal he had for the Lord!

What a shock then to have this Jesus—the disciples of whom he was trying to murder—appear to him on the road in such brilliant glory that it robbed Saul of his sight! His zeal, his passion, his determination was horribly misguided. To say it was a total paradigm shift would be a huge understatement. Everything he knew, everything he was so certain of, had suddenly in an instant, in one encounter that maybe lasted only a few seconds, had completed changed. His mind must have been blown, his world turned upside down! And his sight was lost.

But why did God take his sight? So that Paul could really see. When Saul could see with his physical eyes, he was blind to the truth of Jesus. Only in losing his sight did he see how blind he'd been. He had worked so hard, but failed miserably because his aim was totally off.

When Paul lost his physical sight his spiritual eyes were beginning to open up. Jesus told him to rise and go to Damascus to have his sight restored. And there, in a vision, the blind man saw—he saw a man named Ananias come to restore his sight. And after three days, after Ananias put his hands on him, Saul could see again. But even more, he could see anew! Guided by the Holy Spirit, he saw the truth! He saw who Jesus was! The Son of God! His Savior from sin! His Savior risen from the dead! What wonderful sight Saul had! 

 

Now to some degree or another, perhaps with the aid of corrective lenses, you and I can see with our physical eyes. But we too were once spiritually blind. We didn't know which way we were going or what we needed to do to get there. We were working hard, but were still failures because we worked for the wrong things. And even if we knew the right things we could never work hard enough. Our aim was way off. We were like blind people shooting at a target they couldn't see.

It reminds me Alice in Wonderland asking the Cheshire Cat which way she should go? He said, "It depends. Where are you going?" And when Alice replied that she had no idea, the cat replied, "Then any road you take will get you there." Not all roads lead to Rome. And not all paths lead to heaven. If we were left in our blindness we could work as hard as we could, sprint as fast as our legs would pump, do all within our power, use all of our resources, devote all of our time to get to heaven, but we would still fail miserably because we'd be going in the wrong direction.

We were born blind in sin and blind in unbelief and then we bumped and crashed our way through life, stumbling our way to hell. Our zeal or sincerity didn't matter because our aim was totally off.

But, God has since opened our eyes. We're now enlightened, as if the light has been turned on when we were in the dark. So we're not in the dark anymore. We're not blind. But see with amazing clarity! "I once was lost, but now am found, was blind, but now I see." Now we see the road to heaven. Now we see, that it's not our zeal or our efforts or our accomplishments that get us there, but entirely God's grace to us in Christ. We see how Jesus lived a perfect life for us. We see how God put our sins on him. We see how he paid for them by his death on a cross. And we see how Jesus rose from the dead as the proof! We see how Saul became Paul, how the persecutor became the preacher, the murderer became the missionary and we see that there is no other explanation for this 180 degree turn, other than the fact that he really truly saw the risen Savior on that road to Damascus.

So we see how we are at peace with God. Our sins are forgiven! The things we've done in our misguided zeal are erased! Our mind is blown away by God's grace to us! And our world is turned upside down for the better! We are not going to the hell we deserve! We are going to heaven! We see the way there is in Jesus. We see clearly the Way. We belong to the Way. That is, we belong to Jesus. Now, let's help those stumbling in the darkness. Let's guide them so they can see him too.


II. See How He Can Use You

 

Can you imagine what Ananias went through that day in Damascus? What a shock that day must have been for him. Here he was faithfully serving God with passion and zeal—doing all within his power, using all of his resources, devoting all of his time—to build up this Christian sect that honored Jehovah by proclaiming his Son as the Savior of the world. And now God asked him to go visit the man who would kill him the first chance he got? What exactly was God asking him to do? To become another martyr? To die like James? To be stoned to death like Stephen?

But God told him to rise and go to Judas' house, to talk to the persecutor, to lay his hands on him, to help him to see—both physically and spiritually. And though I'll bet he still wasn't terribly excited about the mission God had given him, he got up and went.

And what a blessing he received! Ananias got to be God's instrument in bringing Saul—later called Paul, the great Apostle to the Gentiles, the author of so many of our New Testament books—to faith! He got to be the one the Holy Spirit worked through to convert this great missionary. And he learned a valuable lesson that God picks his missionaries in sometime the most unlikely of places.


And friends, our eyes have been opened to that same truth. We see how God has chosen us, selfish sinners that we still are, to be a part of his team, to go and be the hands and feet, the mouths and tongues of Jesus himself as he uses us to bring others to faith!

He uses murderers like Saul, chickens like Ananias, drunks like Noah, adulterers like King David, doubters like Thomas, deniers like Peter, cowards like all the disciples. He uses sinners like you and failures like me. He takes away our sin—all of it! He takes away our failures—every one of them! He calls us perfect, sinless saints—each one of us, not just those Biblical "heroes." And uses each of us in his Kingdom to help others to see!

You're not out of the game because of your past sin. If God can use Saul to become a pillar of the faith, then he can use you to be the same. God used Ananias to get to Saul. Had he refused, maybe the church would be without Paul. And who knows, but God, what that person that you reach with the Gospel might do for the Kingdom down the road of life?

Soon we'll be starting a new Bible Class exploring ways that you can share the Gospel, even if you're not an extrovert, even if the thought of knocking on a stranger's door leaves you terrified. We'll brainstorm other ways that we can get the Word out that others might see God's grace. Watch for it, and if you can, come to it!

If you cannot be like Peter, if you cannot Preach like Paul, you can still encourage someone who can. You can pray for them. You can be like faithful Aaron holding up Moses hands. And through our efforts, as we do all within our power, use our resources, devote our time to build up the Kingdom, others will see too! They'll see their Savior! They'll see the truth! They'll see the way to heaven is not in their efforts or works, but in Jesus. And they'll see the peace that we see now.

Larry Hester was 33 years old when the doctor gave him horrible news. He would soon be completely blind. For the next 33 years he went through life in the dark. But then a medical breakthrough came in 2014. Hailed as a bionic eye, the world's first FDA approved device that restores sight to the blind was implanted on Larry's retinas. He only sees fuzzy shapes with extreme contrast with light and dark. But he can see.

God restored Saul's sight perfectly. God gave him better sight—spiritual sight. God has given us the same. Now let's rise and go and be like Ananias as we help others to see what we see—the Way, Jesus, our risen Savior! In his name, dear friends, amen.


In Him,
Pastor Rob Guenther

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

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

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

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