Funeral Sermon for Loretta Piller, preached on Dec. 31st, 2011

“Be Strong & Courageous” (Joshua 1:9) Loretta Piller’s Funeral Sermon Dec. 31^st, 2011

Preacher: Rev. John M. Taggatz of St. John Lutheran Church Baldwin, IL

1.                  Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Dear family and friends of Loretta.  On behalf of the congregation here at St. John we offer to you and your family our deepest sympathy.  May the promise of our Lord Jesus’ resurrection victory over death give you hope and peace this day to know that through faith in Christ you will see your loved one Loretta again in heaven.  Today we’re going to look at Loretta’s favorite Bible verse that she read very often Joshua 1:9, which says, “⁹Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  The message is entitled, “Be Strong & Courageous.”  Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.                  Loretta will be deeply missed by all of us, but she would want us to know that we don’t need to weep tears of hopelessness that all is lost, that we’ll never see her again.  No.  The faith that Loretta received in Jesus Christ her Lord and Savior from sin, death, and the power of the devil gave to her the hope that even death couldn’t separate her from the love of God in Christ Jesus her Lord.  With this faith we can face each day with courage knowing that our Lord God is with us wherever we go.  Loretta knew that God was with her, just like Joshua 1:9 says.  She received the blessings of the forgiveness of her sins and eternal life through Holy Baptism on August 3^rd, 1941.  Through baptism she knew that she was buried with Christ by baptism into death so that just as he was buried in the grave and rose from the dead, she too would rise from the dead through faith in Him.  And she confirmed that faith she received in her baptism here at St. John Baldwin to Pastor Miller and our entire congregation on Nov. 25^th, 1956.   Loretta was married to Jim for 51 years.  Their marriage truly has been a testament of what it means for a husband and wife to remain faithful to one another.  No doubt that Loretta trusted that God would be with her and Jim to be strong and courageous as they raised three children together and lived through the joys and sorrows of life all these years.  

3.                  Hear from Loretta’s favorite Bible verse again from Joshua 1:9, “⁹Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” When the Lord sent this Word to the children of Israel they were very full of fear.  In fact, it was their fear that kept them from the Promised Land.  It was because there were difficulties in taking it.  The people who lived there were very strong and their cities were protected with heavy walls.  So the children of Israel were afraid to try to go in.  God has promised that he would give them the land, but they weren’t willing to take him at his word.  That’s why God still tells us in His Word, “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  The Lord takes care of us as we walk!  He’s our Good Shepherd, defending us with his strong rod, and guiding us with His staff.  He’s our Comforter and Protector in the valley of death.  Wherever we go in faith, we can go with confidence because he goes with us.

4.                  Be strong and courageous and go with God.  This was the message given to Joshua and the people of Israel.  And this is the message for us, especially as we face the grief and sorrow over the death of our beloved Loretta.  God gave the land to Joshua and the faithful people of Israel.  The forbidding walls of Jericho crumbled before the blast of their trumpets.  The inhabitants of the land fled in fear before the army of God’s people.  “The Lord is with them and he fights for them,” the people of Israel’s enemies cried.  And so too our enemies of sin, death, and devil cry out in fear because they know our mighty and strong Savior Jesus is with us.  He is the one who has conquered death and the grave for us and who promises to take us to our heavenly home.  Loretta trusted in her Lord Jesus to do this for her and dear brothers and sisters he has taken her to heaven through the faith she received in her baptism and lived out all these years through Word and Sacrament.  Our Lord Jesus the Good Shepherd, the greater Joshua, has brought her to our Promised Land of heaven where there is no more crying, suffering, or pain.    

5.                  Isaiah 43:1–3 says, “¹But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:  “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. ²When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. ³For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”  In the face of the death of our beloved Loretta, those words, “Fear not,” seem like an unreasonable request.  In fact, even more fear comes across us when we know that one day we will all stand in the presence of our Creator God and Judge as a broken and sinful creature.  God’s holiness is an unquenchable fire, and we are afraid to be burned and consumed.

6.                  But, the Lord God does speak to us, and His Words are not of judgment but of forgiveness and comfort.  Our Lord Jesus spoke to His disciple Peter, “Fear not,” when he was terrified as a sinful man to be in Jesus’ presence.  Because Paul reminds us in Romans that the wages of sin is death and that there is no one who is righteous, no one who does good (Romans 6:23; Romans 3:10-12), we know from Holy Scripture that we can’t stand before God because of our own merits and deeds.  But, here’s the Good News!  Even though we are sinful and unclean, we CAN stand strong and courageous, just like our beloved Loretta has done in the face of death before God because He has redeemed us through Jesus.  In fact, as Isaiah says he calls us by name, you are His.  God did that for Loretta in her baptism and He has done it for you as well when you were baptized into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

7.                  In Holy Baptism the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit offers forgiveness, life, and salvation.  For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.  God does not forget the promise He made to us, just as He did to Loretta, in our baptism.  He remains ever faithful to it, “when you pass through the waters, I will be with you.”

8.                  We were buried into Christ’s death in our baptism, but we were also raised to a new life in Him.  This new life isn’t without hurt, trial, or temptation. In fact, our new life is beset with them, and the old fear creeps in on us, just like it did to Joshua and the people of Israel before they entered into the Promised Land.  But, the promise of God isn’t for only one day.  He guides us waking and guards us sleeping every day.  Even when we are most vulnerable, our God will not leave us nor forsake us.  Loretta knew this, that’s why she cherished the words of Joshua 1:9, because she knew that her Lord and Savior Jesus was with her, even in the face of death.  Anxious thoughts and the troubles of the world threaten us, but in our all powerful Lord Jesus they can’t!  It’s not our own strength that quenches the fiery darts of the devil.  It’s the promise and presence of God, who on the cross defeated sin, death and the devil for Loretta and for you.  Our own strength will fail, but God’s strength in our Lord Jesus never will.  For our God is with us.  So be strong and courageous.  Know that our Lord Jesus will be with you all the days of your life, just as He was with Loretta.  And that one day through your faith in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He too will take you to heaven with Him so that you can see Him and your beloved Loretta again.  Amen.  

"Blessed by the Name of God"--Sermon for New Year's Day--Jan. 1st, 2012

“Blessed by the Name of God”— Numbers 6:22-27 New Year’s Day—Jan. 1^st, 2012

1.                     Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  The message from God’s Word this New Year’s Day is taken from Numbers 6:22-27 and is entitled, “Blessed by the Name of God,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.                     The original Toy Story movie is the story of toys belonging to a boy named Andy.  In the opening of the movie we see that one toy, a cowboy named Woody, is Andy’s favorite toy.  But, for his birthday Andy receives a spaceman named Buzz Lightyear.  Buzz is a toy with all the latest gadgets, while Woody is old and outdated.  Because of this Woody is jealous of Buzz.  All the other toys begin to see Buzz as the most popular toy in the room.  Then something happens that reveals to Woody just how far things have gone:  Andy writes his name on the bottom of Buzz’s foot with permanent marker.  Woody’s foot has the same mark and he knows what that means:  Andy is claiming Buzz as his own, marking him, and giving him a new identity.  He’s not just one of a million other Buzz Lightyears, he’s now Andy’s Buzz Lightyear.  So too, in baptism God writes His name on our hearts through water and the Word by the power of the Holy Spirit.  He washes all of our sins away and makes us His own child.  When we are baptized we are blessed to receive the name of God, to be made a part of His family. 

3.                     But, baptism isn’t the only way that we are blessed with the name of God.  On this day we recognize that our Savior upon His circumcision publicly receives His name, Jesus, which means the “the Lord saves.”  We remember how we’re blessed through Him.  In the circumcision of Jesus, all people are circumcised once and for all, because He represents all humanity.  In the Old Testament the benefits of circumcision included the forgiveness of sins, justification and being made a part of the people of God.  In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul speaks about baptism as a “circumcision made without hands” and as “the circumcision of Christ” (Colossians 2:11).

4.                     Anytime we receive the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we as God’s people are blessed.  This leads us to Numbers 6:22-27, which says, “²²The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ²³“Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, ²⁴The Lord bless you and keep you; ²⁵the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; ²⁶the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. ²⁷So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.”

5.                     Here we see that God gave the priests the words of the Aaronic blessing.  Notice how the word Lord is repeated three times. Here we see a reference to the Trinity. Though we are limited in our ability to explore the depths of the Trinity, we can appreciate the truth that the triune God acts on our behalf. As each of the divine persons carries out his work, the triune God reaches out to bless all those who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.

6.                     The first phrase refers especially to the work of God the Father. The blessing from the Father includes all aspects of our life. Wherever we look, we can see how the Lord blesses us through the possessions that he gives us. Luther’s explanation to the First Article of the Creed summarizes these blessings noting that the Lord “gave me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my mind and all my abilities … richly and daily providing clothing and shoes, food and drink, property and home, spouse and children, land, cattle, and all I own.”  We need only look in our homes! Look at the food and furniture, the children and cars, dishes and dresses, the suits and sofas, and even the electricity that’s present in the wall sockets.  And even more the Lord blesses us with talents and abilities. With mind and hand, we can make a living. With the same mind and hands, we serve Him and our neighbor.

7.                     And what’s more our heavenly Father blesses us as He answers our requests when we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” How often the Lord keeps us by preventing dangers from overwhelming us! How eagerly the Lord works to keep us from going to those places where we’ll be tempted to sin! And yet, how loving the Lord is when He allows tests to come into our lives, for He promises that He’ll also make a way of escape and that all things will work together for good to those who love him. Ultimately the richest way in which the Lord blesses us is that He keeps us faithful to the gospel to the end of our lives. It is also His blessing that He’ll deliver us from this present evil world into the glory in heaven. All these blessings the Lord gladly includes in the benediction: “The Lord bless you and keep you.”

8.                     The second phrase of the benediction addresses the fact that human beings are sinful. By birth man is in rebellion against God. The only hope for such rebels lies in the fact that God is gracious to us. How clearly we see God’s love for us in the work of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Using Luther’s explanation of the Second Article of the Creed, we note that God is gracious to us in Jesus, who “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. All this he did that I should be his own, and live under him in his kingdom, and serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.” That’s God’s grace in Christ. For in Christ, God shows his love to us—a deep, love that loves us also when we deserve it least because of our sin. In such love God makes his face shine upon us. Just as the face of a proud, new mother radiates love, so God looks at us covering all our sins with the perfect redemption that Christ purchased for us. All these blessings the Lord gladly includes in the benediction: “The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.”

9.                     In the third phrase of the benediction, we see the work of the third person of the Trinity: God the Holy Spirit. The phrase “turn his face toward you” indicates that the Lord gladly looks upon each of us as individuals. How sad it would be if God would turn his back on any of us. How wonderful this work of the Holy Spirit! He turns rebels into his children by leading them to faith in Jesus! He makes the blind to see by leading them to the light of Christ. As the giver of life, he gives life to those who are dead in their sins.  It is the Holy Spirit who has “called me by the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith” (Luther’s Catechism, Third Article). In the miracle of conversion, the Holy Spirit gives us peace because we know that through Christ we are reconciled to God.  The believer enjoys a peace that stands up even in the face of death. What peace there is to know that whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. Anchored in this faith, we can exclaim with Saint Paul: “Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38, 39). Angels proclaimed this peace at the first Christmas Eve: “Peace on earth, good will to man.” Jesus promised the peace from the Holy Spirit when he said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (John 14:27).

10.                 What great blessings the Lord gives to every believer! His power and love stand behind each of the words in the benediction: “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” The name of God was on the Israelites. In the New Testament that name is also on us as we claim the name Christian, which really means that we’re followers of Christ. Of such believers the Lord gladly says, “I will bless them.” This promise makes the benediction far more than mere words. The Lord stands behind each word. As the triune God, he gladly grants these blessings to each of us.

11.                 To such a benediction, believers in all ages have gladly said, “Amen. So be it.”  Amen. So be it! Lord, God the Father, Creator and Preserver, bless and keep us!  Amen. So be it! Lord, Jesus Christ, Savior and Lord, make your face shine upon us and be gracious to us!  Amen. So be it! Lord, Holy Spirit, Sanctifier and Counselor, turn your face toward us and give us peace!  Amen.

Sermon for Christmas Day Dec. 25th, 2011

“The Christmas Truce” (Romans 5:1-11; Isaiah 52:7-10) Christmas Day, Dec. ’11, Series B

1.                                    Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  The message from God’s Word this wonderful Christmas Day is taken from Romans 5:1-11 and Isaiah 52:7-11.  It’s entitled, “The Christmas Truce,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.                                    It was Dec. 25^th, 1914, just after midnight on Christmas morning, the majority of German troops engaged in World War I cease firing their weapons and begin to sing Christmas carols.  At certain points along the eastern and western fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, and Britain even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their singing.  In the morning, many of the German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man's-land, calling out "Merry Christmas" in their enemies' native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer. 

3.                                    The Christmas Truce of 1914 reminds us of the peace that our Lord Jesus came to give us, but it’s a peace that’s beyond this world.  During the Advent and Christmas seasons our emotions can get the best of us.  We get stressed out and uneasy about getting all that we need to be done to prepare for our holiday celebrations.  So our tempers get short and sometimes we lash out against those whom we love.  We need to hear the message of Christ’s peace, not just during the Christmas season, but all our lives.  But, it’s not just a message of peace that we have with one another, but most importantly with our Heavenly Father.

4.                                    Isaiah 52:7 says, “⁷How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” The word peace here doesn’t refer to the end of hostilities with the warring nations that surrounded God’s people. This peace has a meaning much deeper. It’s the peace that God has made between his people and Himself. God no longer burns with anger toward you. He has removed your sin. This peace rests on the knowledge that Jesus would come to achieve it by His work on earth. The angels would announce it at Christ’s birth, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14). Jesus announced this peace with these words: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

5.                                    But some of you may be thinking, “This message of peace, I’ve heard all this before.” When we talk about going to church or reading the Bible, some say, “I’ve studied that long enough already.” Some 8^th graders in confirmation say, “It’s the same old stuff again.” We act like the writer of Ecclesiastes who said, “there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl 1:9).  But, my friends let us never tire of hearing the Good News (Is 52:1–7).  It’s essential to hear the gospel regularly. With a total grasp of God’s Word and a perfect faith we wouldn’t fall into fits of depression. We wouldn’t give in to our temptations. We would sail through life with unceasing peace and joy. But it’s not so. We need to hear the gospel often, and we need to hear it now.  God has always spoken Good News. He did it for Isaiah and he does it now. God proclaims peace, good tidings, and salvation (v 7). These OT words are central concepts in the ongoing proclamation of the Good News. The important ingredient is that each new generation sees and receives them in faith.

       

6.                                    Isaiah says that the message is good news. It’s good in an absolute sense, like the proclamation of God at the creation of the world—all was good. The psalmist gave thanks for the Lord’s blessings and proclaimed, “The Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations” (100:5). Through our Lord Jesus, the situation between God and humanity couldn’t be better. The blessings of God in Christ are for all humanity. No one is a slave of evil’s tyranny any longer.  When Isaiah speaks about the good news of salvation, he means that through Jesus your deliverance from sin and death has been accomplished. God has come to save you. He has set you free—not from the oppression of your political enemies but from the tyranny of sin and from the dungeon of death. The release of the Jews from Babylon and their return to Jerusalem was only the beginning of God’s plan of salvation. A much greater freedom would happen. Paul referred to this when he wrote, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1, 2).

7.                                    In Romans 5 the Apostle Paul writes, “1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...7For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us… 10For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.”

8.                                    In writing to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul said, “When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman” (4:4). Christ came according to God’s plan, not in response to any human choosing.  Even if we had wanted him to come we couldn’t have done anything positive to bring it about. But, the situation was that by nature we didn’t want anything to do with God and his promised Savior, because we were “ungodly.” And yet, for such ungodly people as us, the Father sent his Son to die. That’s a one-way love, the kind one can hardly find in human experience. Do you want to know if God loves you? Look at what he has been willing to do for you. When you were not just weak and “powerless” but an “ungodly” sinner actively opposed to him, Christ died for you. That’s God’s one-way love in action.

9.                                    There’s much talk at Christmas about “love and good will.” God calls us to realize that we’re his servants in this world. We are to communicate the love and good will of Christ to others.  Today many relationships are breaking down, and in particular marriages. God would have us realize that our spouse is a child of God to be loved, cherished, and nurtured. Our marriages are to reflect the love and joy Jesus Christ brings to each of us.  So too, our Lord Jesus helps soothe the irritations that may arise between parents and children. Despite rebellious attitudes, broken rules, misunderstandings, and a lack of communication, both parents and children should realize that the other members of their family are also members of the family of God to be respected and valued.  The love of Jesus helps us respond to all those who need to see the an example of the grace of God at work in our life: your boss, the “grumpy old man” down the street, the neighbor you can’t understand, those who live in poverty whom we see as we drive past their neighborhood, and those who seem to have everything but who are empty inside.

10.                    God has proclaimed the message of his salvation through ages past. Yet when we hear it today, it’s still fresh and new. God calls us to come to Bethlehem and see this miracle.  Christmas means so much more than giving gifts and seeing the family. The carols, decorations, food, and festivities are all celebrations of the Christ Child, born to bring us peace and salvation. We thank the Lord for this message from Isaiah, which reminds us that our Lord Jesus has come to bring us perfect peace.  Peace with one another and our Heavenly Father.  Amen.

“God’s Mystery Revealed” Romans 16:25-27—Series B, Dec. 18th, ‘11

1.            Please pray with me.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.  Amen.  The message from God’s Word this 4^th Sunday in Advent is taken from Romans 16:25-27, it’s entitled, “God’s Mystery Revealed,” dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

2.            The Apostle Paul loved a good mystery and maybe you do too.  Maybe you can remember sitting in front of the television screen as a child watching the detective trying to unravel his case to discover who committed the crime.  Only to find out that you’ll have to wait until next week to find out if he cracked the case.  In our text today from Romans 16:25-27 the Apostle Paul says, “25Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.”

3.            Here the Apostle Paul is referring to the biblical mystery of Jesus Christ.  In Scripture “mystery” is a technical theological term.  It identifies some previously hidden or only hinted at facet of God’s eternal plan, which has only been recently revealed.  Christ, Paul realized with wonder, is the greatest of all the mysteries of God.  How could God forgive the sins of past saints?  How could God not simply declare human beings righteous in His sight, but actually make them righteous?  How could God, committed as He was to the Jews, open wide His arms to the Gentiles too?  How could Jew and Gentile ever find common ground, enabling the race to be drawn back together into one?  How could God’s love for all the human race be so stunningly displayed that hardened sinners would suddenly halt, reconsider, and kneel, broken, before God?

4.            These and all of history’s unanswered questions are, for Paul, answered in Jesus Christ.  He is the mystery hidden for long ages past.  He is the one glimpsed in prophetic writings.  He is the One who has come and stands fully revealed today that all nations might believe and obey Him.  He is the one who has at last enabled us to sense not only the love but also the wisdom of God.  He is the One whom God receives glory, forever and ever.    The Old Testament did not make all things clear. But in the New Testament, the mystery is now revealed. God in Christ has united Jew and Gentile together in one Body.  Paul also writes in Eph 3:4–6, “⁴When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, ⁵which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. ⁶This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”  As St. Augustine, one of our early Church Fathers has put it, “The new is in the old concealed, and the old is in the new revealed.”

5.            Here at the end of Romans 16 Paul gives us a grand doxology where he wraps up his lengthy letter to the Church at Rome.  This is the whole Epistle of Romans in a nutshell.  God strengthens us through His Gospel in Jesus Christ, through the preaching of Christ, the mystery that was long hidden and is now broadcast through the length and breadth of the world to all nations.  This Gospel brings about “the obedience of faith” that is, it imparts the faith that clings to the righteousness of God so that people are rescued from the old dead end way of living and made partakers of the living Body of the Son of God, whom they eagerly await from heaven.  And for this Gospel—this joyous good news—all glory goes to the Father of Jesus Christ forever!

6.            This doxology that Paul uses here near the end of his letter to the Romans reflects everything Paul has said in this New Testament Epistle.  You may recall how the book of Romans began with Paul’s assertion in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.” 

7.            Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is at the heart of Paul’s message.  Jesus is the key, the revelation that unlocks the mystery hidden for long ages past.  God’s gracious plan of salvation has been effect since Adam and Eve—yes, even from eternity.  But for a long time it looked like the personal possession of the Jewish nation.  But, all of that changed when Jesus came to earth, completed His saving work and commissioned His followers to proclaim the salvation to all the world.  Thus, the “mystery” of God’s grace—disclosed to Paul and proclaimed in his gospel—is that by faith in Christ as our Savior from sin, death and the devil’s power, God’s salvation is for all people, Jew and Gentile alike.

8.            The Apostle Paul had experienced the power of God in the gospel not only in the spiritual rebirth it brought into his own life, but also in seeing that miracle repeated in hundreds and thousands of lives in connection to the work the Lord had privileged him to do.  His gospel had brought the power of God into the hearts of both Jews and Gentiles, setting up centers of Christian worship all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum.

9.            Hence Paul is confident that this Word will now also establish the Romans both through the written message he is sending them and through the spoken Word when he comes to visit them.  So confident is Paul that he could say in Romans 15:29, “I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.”

10.        Paul’s confidence, of course, was not misplaced.  For almost 2000 years now, that Word has advanced, particularly to the west—to Spain and beyond—to the point of also having reached us and won our hearts.  Moved by that gospel in general, and in particular by Paul’s exposition of it in his magnificent Epistle to the Romans, we too join with the apostle in saying, “To him who is able to establish us by the gospel… to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ!  Amen.” 

11.        Christians can differ honestly about many doctrines.  They can dispute about practices.  But on one thing we all agree.  We all love the One Jesus Christ whose coming into our world in the form of a little baby, which we’ll celebrate at Christmas, explained the mystery of God’s plan, and revealed once and for all the full extent of His mysterious, wonderful love in dying on the cross to save each and everyone of us from our sins.  Amen.    

“Pointing the World to Jesus” (John 1:6-8, 19-28) Series B Advent 3, Dec. 11, 2011

1.             Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  When he preaches repentance, John the Baptist points us to Jesus.  In our Gospel lesson for this day we learn that John was sent by God “as a witness, to bear witness about the Light, that all might believe through him” (John 1:7).  He baptizes with water in order to “make straight the way of the Lord,” who shall redeem His people from their sins (John 1:23).  John’s whole ministry was to point the world to our Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  The message is entitled, “Pointing the World to Jesus,” let he who has ears to hear, let him hear.   
2.             Of the many saints commemorated by the Christian Church, Nicholas (d. A.D. 342) is one of the best known.  December 6^th has been the day that the Church observes the festival of St. Nicholas, which we celebrated this past week. Known for his generosity and his love of children, Nicholas is said to have saved a poor man’s 3 daughters from slavery by tossing into their window enough gold for a rich dowry to enable them to get married, a present that landed in some shoes or, stockings that were hung up to dry. But there’s more to the story of Nicholas of Myra. He was also a delegate to the Council of Nicea in a.d. 325, which battled the heretics who denied that our Lord Jesus is fully God, equal to God the Father. He was one of the authors of the Nicene Creed, which affirms that Jesus Christ is both true God and true man. In fact, Nicholas was particularly zealous in standing up for Christ.  During the Council of Nicea, Nicholas got so fed up with the heretic Arius, who taught that Jesus was just a man, that he walked up and decked him! That unbishoplike behavior got him in trouble. The council almost stripped him of his office as bishop, but Nicholas said he was sorry, so he was forgiven.
3.             St. Nicholas was a lot like John the Baptist in our Gospel lesson this morning.  He was someone who flew off the handle when he heard someone minimizing the name of Christ. Maybe we can battle our culture’s increasingly Christ-less Christmas by enlisting St. Nick in his original cause. The poor girls’ stockings have become part of our Christmas customs. So should the St. Nicholas slap. Not a violent hit of the kind that got the good bishop in trouble, just a gentle, warning tap on the cheek. This should be reserved not only for nonbelievers, but for heretics (that is, people in the church who deny its teachings), Christians who forget about Jesus, and people who try to take Christ out of Christmas. 
4.             As I said before, both St. Nicholas and John the Baptist remind us that they themselves aren’t so important as the message that they came to proclaim of Jesus Christ and Him crucified on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins.  John 1:6–8, 19–28 says,  “6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.”         
5.             John 1:19 says, “19And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” This is the first incident in the life of John the Baptist which John gives us in his Gospel record. We find out about his birth in the Gospel of Luke, but here the record of John the Baptist begins when a delegation from Jerusalem comes to question him. They come out to ask him, “Who are you?”  In this question there’s a subtle temptation because this offered John an opportunity to make something of himself. In John 3:30 we find his response when his disciples wanted him to make something of himself. He said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” What a statement that is! That’s a statement that every believer should make.  A statement that I’m sure St. Nicholas would make as well. And every believer should live it too. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Either Christ is primary in your life and takes first place, or you (that is, the selfish “I”) will be on top. You can’t have both. He must increase and I must decrease, or else it will be the other way around. 
6.             Then John 1:20 continues saying, “20He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”  You see, the priests and Levites from Jerusalem suggest that John the Baptist might be the Messiah. But he makes it very clear that he’s not the Christ; he’s not the Messiah. They’re looking to the wrong man. So, if he’s not the Christ, what great person is he?  John 1:21 says, “21And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Notice how brief and matter–of–fact John is. If he’s not the Christ, he must be Elijah. If he’s not Elijah, he must be “that prophet.” They are referring to a prophet “like Moses” who had been promised back in Deuteronomy 18:15. John gives an emphatic “No!” He’s not the predicted prophet of Deuteronomy.
7.             John 1:22-23 continues, “22So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”  Notice that John is a voice. You see, Christ is the Word! John is the voice! A voice is all that John wants to be and that St. Nicholas wanted to be. Both of them along with you and me have a grand message to give, a message much greater than we are. And notice the grand message that John gives, “Make straight the way of the Lord.” In other words, “Get ready for the coming of the Lord.” John means that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. It was at hand in the person of our Lord Jesus, you see. And he tells them to “Make straight the way.” This would be the same as telling them to get the crooked things out of their lives, to deal with the things that are wrong. This we need to do also. 
8.             And what are the crooked things in your lives?  It may be that you fail to bear the name of Christ in your everyday life.  That you live as a Christian on Sunday, but the rest of the week you hide your faith and act more like an unbeliever for fear of being found out by the world.  Or maybe you continue to use pornography and defile your body by committing adultery in your heart and with your eyes.  You indulge yourself in too much alcohol and lose control of your body and your speech because of it.  You fail to honor those in authority over you that God has placed into your life as your leaders.  You sin when you don’t help your neighbor when he or she is in need.  Or, have you considered that when you curse, swear, or use God’s name aimlessly that you’re taking God’s name in vain?
9.             John the Apostle says in 1 John 1:6, “⁶If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” We need to get our lives straight.  But, we can’t do this on our own.  The way our lives are straightened out is when we take our sins to Jesus, as we are taught in 1 John 1:8–9, which says, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  If you confess your sins to Jesus and repent of them our Lord Jesus will forgive you and give you eternal life because He bled and died on Calvary’s tree for you!
10.             Both John the Baptist’s and St. Nicholas’ purpose in life was to point the world to Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  That includes your sin and my sin.  And from this flowed John’s calling as a believer, teacher, preacher, catechizer, prophet and more.  But, in all that John did for Jesus, none of it could ultimately save him from his sins, since he like you and me, was conceived into sin.  Nothing in John’s divinely given purpose could save him from his own sin.  He, like the rest of us would need Jesus to take away our sins.  Thanks be to God that our Lord Jesus has come to take away our sins and that He promises to come again to take us to our heavenly home.  Amen.  Please pray with me.   O Christ, prepare a royal highway in my heart, that I may receive You in steadfast humility and joy. Amen.

Worship from the heart

“...but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making medlody to the Lord with all your heart...” Ephesians 5:18-19

 Jerome: Commentary on the Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians Jerome (ca. 345-419) “Let youth hear this, let them hear it whose office it is to make melody in the church: Sing to God, not with the voice, but with the heart; not, after the fashion of tragedians, in smearing the throat with a sweet drug, so that theatrical melodies and songs are heard in the church, but in fear, in work, and in knowledge of the Scriptures. And although a man be kakophonos, to use a common expression, if he have good works, he is a sweet singer before God. And let the servant of Christ sing so that he pleases, not through his voice, but through the words which he pronounces, in order that the evil spirit which was upon Saul may depart from those who are similarly troubled and may not enter into those who would make of the house of God a popular theatre.”

 Ouch! That’s the problem with Church history – those who have preceded us have already wrestled with many of the issues with which we struggled today. We look to the wisdom and experience of our forebears to help us maintain right doctrine; should we not also consult them concerning right practice? Jerome encouraged heart-felt singing, not entertainment, and called on even those who don’t thing they can sing to make a joyful noise to the Lord. Give me that old time cacophony over those carefully rehearsed performances any Lord’s Day. Can people learn to sing from the heart? What is the pastor’s responsibility in teaching them to do this?