Invitations. You can get them by the hundreds. Pick them up 25 to a pack for a few dollars at Wal Mart or print them off yourself at home if you are more computer savvy. These days they come printed with all kinds of cartoon characters, movie characters, super heroes, and barbie dolls. You can get gold lettering, silver lettering, fancy paper or just plain card stock. And for those who would really show off their technical expertise, you can forgo the paper all together and send out eVites, (email invitations that don't cost a dime and save the time and the hassle of mailing things out the old fashioned way). Either way, there are lots of different types of invitations.
Now, imagine if you would an invitation that arrives, not in your email inbox, on your blackberry or iPhone, not even in your mailbox by old fashioned "snail mail". Imagine an invitation that arrives on your doorstep by a personal currier. You open it up and find that it is embossed and sealed. The weight of the paper and the quality of the printing lets you know that this invitation wasn't purchased at Wal Mart. This invitation is special, costly and important. The invitation would let you know that the party, the event was special. Important. No expense spared. And for that matter, the guest list will be somewhat exclusive. Not a party for the common man, mind you. Have you ever been to a party like that?
I have.
But before you are too impressed, let me explain. I was a part of the wait staff. I was employed by a catering company while attending seminary. There was an exclusive banquet held at the natural history museum, with all sorts of important people from the city of St Louis. They were all dressed to the 9's, pulled up in their fancy cars, got our wearing their fur coats tuxedos and evening gowns, and I was there to pour the coffee, deliver the entrees, fill the wine glasses, and point people to the rest rooms. I was there, but hardly because of how important I was.
Well, today, our Old Testament text includes an invitation. “Come,” it says, “Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob.”
Talk about an invitation to an exclusive party. If princes and kings and celebrities and dignitaries find themselves on exclusive guest lists, consider for a moment an invitation, not just to the governor’s mansion, not even to the white house, imagine an invitation to God's house, to the house of him who is King of kings and Lord of Lords. Now that is an invitation. Now that is a guest list!
But here's the thing, the difference, a profound difference. The King, the host of this party, of this celebration, isn't like a regular host. He isn't like a regular king. This King comes, not in a limousine, not with an entourage or a military escort, not with red carpets and paparazzi. Instead, this King comes to you humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt on the foal of a beast of burden.
And so you are invited. Invited to the house of the Lord. Invited here in fact on this last Sunday in November, this first Sunday in Advent, to meet with this King who comes. And as you are here, he would teach you.
Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths for out of Zion shall go the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. These words and these ways that he would teach you are good words and they are good ways.
If you got an invitation in your mailbox from the governor or from the president to attend some presidential ball, as you were making preparations to attend, somewhere along the way, the question of what to wear would come to your mind. Would you wear blue jeans and a T-shirt? Would your current wardrobe have anything appropriate for an event such as the one you were preparing to attend? Men, would you need to go rent a tux? Women, would you go shopping for some sort or an evening gown? Would you make certain you had the shoes, the jewelry, the hair-do appropriate for the event? To be sure, you wouldn't put on your weak-end-working-around-the-house clothes.
In a similar sort of way, as we are preparing for the Lord's celebration, to which we have received this invitation we are mindful of how we are dressed. And thus our Lord teaches us.
“Cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” says our Epistle text, “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.”
These are words for our time. Everywhere we look in the world we see these very things. Families are known to feud and fight over silly little things. they will be torn apart by anger and bickering. Church families are split due to infighting and gossip, one member talking about another slandering another without the love appropriate for the family of God.
Likewise with the sexual immorality and sensuality. Everything these days has become about sex. From television programing, to commercial advertising, to even major political issues, right down to the emails in your in-box. These topics of sexuality and sensuality are constantly and continually before our eyes and in our attention.
These things are constant snares for us as a Christian community. They are in the world around us, everywhere we go and a part of everything that we do. We can't get away from them. But like Luther said, "You can't stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from building a nest in your hair." We can't stop temptations and we can't stop the world from its foolishness and sin but we don't have to take part in it.
Or here's another way to think of it, when you get your 5 year old dressed and ready to go, either to church or to some party, you expect him to keep himself out of the dirt and mud. When he comes back in to the house with mud all over his sunday best you are upset with him for his foolishness. Imagine then how foolish it would be if you got dressed for a black tie event and then went out to join the 5 year olds in the mud puddle. You wouldn't do that.
Yet here we are, we are dressed for eternity, wearing our Lord's garments of holiness and still we are willing to traipse through the gutters and back allies with the idolaters and fornicators. We are willing to submit to the spirit of quarreling and jealousy, of backbiting and gossip, we are willing to take part in all kinds of sin that just is not fitting for the people of God.
And so it would seem that we have gotten our party clothes dirty. We need a bath. A change of clothes. Again...
And so our host, our King comes to us. Humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, on the foal of a donkey. Jesus comes to us riding a beast of burden. Our king comes to us, again, not the way a king usually comes, no military escort, no banners and emblems, no head held high, no proud and powerful war horse. Instead a humble and lowly donkey. He rides to his throne and his coronation the same way his mother rode to his birth. Humble and on a donkey. On a beast of burden, because he himself would be our beast of burden. He himself came to carry our load of sin of suffering and shame. He came to carry our guilt and punishment.
We are not used to this sort of a ruler, to this sort of a king. Human kings are not humble. Earthly kings are not lowly. They are high and mighty. Distinguished and important. But Jesus is not. Even though He is King of kings and Lord of lords, he does not hold it over our heads. He does not pretend to be better, more righteous, more fit, more worthy, more deserving of honor and praise and glory and worship than we. He simply serves. He simply loves. He simply calls and he simply leads.
Jesus, this High and Mighty, yet humble and lowly King would be your king. He would have you follow him and so he has sent you his invitation. Won't you come, to the house of the Lord, where he would teach you his ways, that you might walk in His path. Won't you come, enjoy the blessings of heaven.
Amen.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
November 21 2 Thesalonians 3:6-13
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Well, the holidays are coming, and with the holidays come people. Usually lots of them and right through the doors of the church. It started here at St Paul’s just this past Sunday. We had people in droves who came to take part in our Turkey Supper. But that is only the beginning. Thanksgiving is this week. Then comes Christmas with pageants and programs and special worship services, all favorites among even those who are not regular church goers.
Among all those who enter through our church doors during the holiday season, often mingled in with them are those who are less fortunate, less well off, those who we might consider to be among the poor. They come to church too, although often it is not on a Sunday and usually not for worship. There are many who come or call asking for some assistance.
As Christ's representatives on earth, we are given to help those who have need and so we do. We give food. We have paid rent or utility bills. We offer help where we are able. But sad to say, among those who have legitimate need, there are those who are simply looking to take advantage. They come to church with all kinds of sad, cleverly devised stories for how they are down on their luck and in need of some help. There has been more than one occasion that I have though to myself that if half the ingenuity needed to make up that story was put into earning an honest living they would be buying thanksgiving dinner for me.
Our 2 Thessalonians text speaks of those who are idle. Those who do not want to work for themselves to provide their own living, but rather are perfectly content to burden others with their upkeep and care. “We command you to keep away from them,” says Paul. I wonder if we don't too easily think of these poor when we read these passages. “Go to work”. We think. “Get a job” we say. “Earn an honest living.”
Maybe so.
But as with any scripture text, when we only see the sins of others and not our own reflected in the mirror of the law, we have likely missed the text. After all, that text is for you and for me just as much as it is for pan handlers and peddlers. The Spirit has a word for us too.
Paul writes against those members of the church who were idle. He writes against those who will not do their job or fulfill their duty. Back in those days, some were biding their time expecting Christ to return, thinking that he would come back within their lifetimes. These people thought to themselves, “what is the point of my labor? Should I invest my time and my effort in some pointless task, only to have it all come to nothing on the day that Christ returns.”
Others were just lazy. They simply took advantage of the diligence of others. We have seen in Acts how the church was generous and the Christians held everything in common. There were some who were freeloaders and were only interested in a free meal. Paul scolds each of these misguided persons and commands the church that they ought not put up with it.
You see, God has called each one of us to our work. God has called us to faith, to be Christians for sure, but God has also made us his workers, his priests, his hands serving his creation. When a Christian goes to work as a baker, an automobile manufacturer, a farmer, an executive, a house mother, he or she is going as God's representative to serve people who God loves. For us to sew the seeds of idleness and deny our work is to deny the very calling that God has given to us. Parents should parent. Students should study. Farmers should farm. Engineers should engineer. Salesmen should sell. Because through these callings God is caring for his creation.
But even those of us who go to work and earn an honest living still struggle with that sin of idleness. Sometimes we slack off or sluff off on the job. Sometimes we do a poor or a half hearted job. Sometimes we look for shortcuts. Often we make excuses.
Dear friends, we are guilty. Where God has commanded us to work we have been lazy. Where God has commanded us to diligence we have been half hearted. Even as we have judged the work done by others we have been guilty of those exact sins. Our text says that anyone who does not want to work should not eat. We probably ought to go hungry.
But we won't. This past Sunday due to the grace and the goodness of God I was fed by the fruit of somebody else's labor. You all worked diligently cooking turkeys, making stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, pies, preparing, serving, and then cleaning. I was there. I ate. I enjoyed every bite. And all I had to do was stand around and say hello to the good people that walked through the door. God fed me generously. I don't deserve an ounce of credit.
Likewise, in a few days, I will sit down around a table and enjoy the same menu all over again, with little labor of my own because of the goodness of God (not to mention the goodness of my mother in law). God provides for me and God feeds me (and you too) because he is generous and he is good.
But we know that God feeds us greater food and has in store for us greater blessings. During the Divine Service we gather here at the altar to eat the meal that he provides for us for the forgiveness of our sins. His own body and blood given to eat and to drink. We don't earn it. We don't deserve it. But we eat and are filled, with our bodies, but also and especially with our souls as God gives us the forgiveness Christ earned on the cross.
And that feast is just the beginning, a fore taste, the appetizers. God has in store for us an eternal banquet where we will eat foods we did not prepare at a table that isn't our own. It's God's table in God's house prepared by God's own hand. You will eat. You will enjoy. You will be filled because God has made it so.
This day and this season, as we confess and acknowledge that our hands have been idle. We have denied our work and set aside our vocations, but God is gracious. He hasn't punished us or given us what we deserve. Much to the contrary. He has set a place for us at his table for our good and for our blessing. In His name.
Amen.
Well, the holidays are coming, and with the holidays come people. Usually lots of them and right through the doors of the church. It started here at St Paul’s just this past Sunday. We had people in droves who came to take part in our Turkey Supper. But that is only the beginning. Thanksgiving is this week. Then comes Christmas with pageants and programs and special worship services, all favorites among even those who are not regular church goers.
Among all those who enter through our church doors during the holiday season, often mingled in with them are those who are less fortunate, less well off, those who we might consider to be among the poor. They come to church too, although often it is not on a Sunday and usually not for worship. There are many who come or call asking for some assistance.
As Christ's representatives on earth, we are given to help those who have need and so we do. We give food. We have paid rent or utility bills. We offer help where we are able. But sad to say, among those who have legitimate need, there are those who are simply looking to take advantage. They come to church with all kinds of sad, cleverly devised stories for how they are down on their luck and in need of some help. There has been more than one occasion that I have though to myself that if half the ingenuity needed to make up that story was put into earning an honest living they would be buying thanksgiving dinner for me.
Our 2 Thessalonians text speaks of those who are idle. Those who do not want to work for themselves to provide their own living, but rather are perfectly content to burden others with their upkeep and care. “We command you to keep away from them,” says Paul. I wonder if we don't too easily think of these poor when we read these passages. “Go to work”. We think. “Get a job” we say. “Earn an honest living.”
Maybe so.
But as with any scripture text, when we only see the sins of others and not our own reflected in the mirror of the law, we have likely missed the text. After all, that text is for you and for me just as much as it is for pan handlers and peddlers. The Spirit has a word for us too.
Paul writes against those members of the church who were idle. He writes against those who will not do their job or fulfill their duty. Back in those days, some were biding their time expecting Christ to return, thinking that he would come back within their lifetimes. These people thought to themselves, “what is the point of my labor? Should I invest my time and my effort in some pointless task, only to have it all come to nothing on the day that Christ returns.”
Others were just lazy. They simply took advantage of the diligence of others. We have seen in Acts how the church was generous and the Christians held everything in common. There were some who were freeloaders and were only interested in a free meal. Paul scolds each of these misguided persons and commands the church that they ought not put up with it.
You see, God has called each one of us to our work. God has called us to faith, to be Christians for sure, but God has also made us his workers, his priests, his hands serving his creation. When a Christian goes to work as a baker, an automobile manufacturer, a farmer, an executive, a house mother, he or she is going as God's representative to serve people who God loves. For us to sew the seeds of idleness and deny our work is to deny the very calling that God has given to us. Parents should parent. Students should study. Farmers should farm. Engineers should engineer. Salesmen should sell. Because through these callings God is caring for his creation.
But even those of us who go to work and earn an honest living still struggle with that sin of idleness. Sometimes we slack off or sluff off on the job. Sometimes we do a poor or a half hearted job. Sometimes we look for shortcuts. Often we make excuses.
Dear friends, we are guilty. Where God has commanded us to work we have been lazy. Where God has commanded us to diligence we have been half hearted. Even as we have judged the work done by others we have been guilty of those exact sins. Our text says that anyone who does not want to work should not eat. We probably ought to go hungry.
But we won't. This past Sunday due to the grace and the goodness of God I was fed by the fruit of somebody else's labor. You all worked diligently cooking turkeys, making stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, pies, preparing, serving, and then cleaning. I was there. I ate. I enjoyed every bite. And all I had to do was stand around and say hello to the good people that walked through the door. God fed me generously. I don't deserve an ounce of credit.
Likewise, in a few days, I will sit down around a table and enjoy the same menu all over again, with little labor of my own because of the goodness of God (not to mention the goodness of my mother in law). God provides for me and God feeds me (and you too) because he is generous and he is good.
But we know that God feeds us greater food and has in store for us greater blessings. During the Divine Service we gather here at the altar to eat the meal that he provides for us for the forgiveness of our sins. His own body and blood given to eat and to drink. We don't earn it. We don't deserve it. But we eat and are filled, with our bodies, but also and especially with our souls as God gives us the forgiveness Christ earned on the cross.
And that feast is just the beginning, a fore taste, the appetizers. God has in store for us an eternal banquet where we will eat foods we did not prepare at a table that isn't our own. It's God's table in God's house prepared by God's own hand. You will eat. You will enjoy. You will be filled because God has made it so.
This day and this season, as we confess and acknowledge that our hands have been idle. We have denied our work and set aside our vocations, but God is gracious. He hasn't punished us or given us what we deserve. Much to the contrary. He has set a place for us at his table for our good and for our blessing. In His name.
Amen.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
November 14. Pentecost 25
I have added a new feature to my blog; there is a media player below from podbean.com with the audio of the sermon. You can now listen as you read, or perhaps just listen.
Malachi 4:1-6
The Day of the Lord is coming. So says our text. And it is coming with fire and wrath. It is coming to set fire to the wicked, to turn them to ash and stubble. It is coming so that the wicked are burned up and trampled under foot. But what is the Day of the Lord? What does it mean that it is coming? When will it come? And what does that have to do with us?
All good questions. All important questions. All questions that Christians should be able to answer.
Our Bible readings today look toward the end. They look forward into those last times, those days leading up to the very last day when our Lord returns. On that last day he will come in judgment and wrath to destroy the wicked. But for those who fear the name of the Lord, that day will be a day of freedom and joy. It will be a day for healing and for celebration. For the Christian the Day of the Lord is a day to look forward to. But there are days to endure before it comes...
In the Old Testament, the phrase “Day of the Lord” is a common term. The Old Testament prophets use this phrase frequently as they are describing a coming day of judgment. For the Israelites who disobeyed the Lord and followed the false gods of their neighbors, the prophets warned that the day of judgment, the Day of the Lord was coming for them so that they would receive God's judgment for their unfaithfulness.
But, the true prophets of the Almighty God are always more skilled than what we often give them credit for. They see further. They see more. There is this temptation to reduce the visions of the prophets to only one day or only one event. Kind of like a weather man who pops up every now and again to give us a prediction for one particular storm that's brewing on the horizon. God's prophets have a much greater purpose because God has a much greater goal. Our Lord is constantly working on our salvation. He is constantly working out our rescue from this evil world so every prophecy and every prediction always relates to the work that he is doing for us in Christ. The day of the Lord is a day of judgment, but it is also and especially the day of salvation for those who believe on His name.
And so the day of the Lord comes. It is coming soon. And on that day we will be saved!
There are two things in our text that are worth noticing, especially in the last few verses.
The first thing we should notice is that the prophet says that the Lord will send Elijah. If you are familiar with the Old Testament and especially with the Old Testament prophets you will know that Elijah was one of these prophets. And while Elijah never wrote any books, he was certainly very busy. Elijah was a mighty and a powerful prophet. He caused a famine as a warning to the faithless Israelites and their king, King Ahab. He defeated the prophets of the false god Baal at Mt Carmel. He raised a dead child back to life by praying for him and interceding before God on behalf of the mother. So God says he will send Elijah. He is promising to send a mighty prophet.
When the Angel Gabriel came to visit Zechariah as he was serving in the temple, Gabriel told Zechariah that his son John, John the Baptist, would receive the spirit of Elijah. That John would come before Christ to fulfill the words of our text. Our Lord, speaking through the Angel, informs us that John was this prophet. That John came to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers and the hearts of the fathers toward their children in preparation for the coming of Jesus.
This is important for you and for me. It means for us that the Day of the Lord has come. The day of wrath and the day of salvation has come in Jesus. The wrath and the anger of God that will come to consume the wicked like grass in a bonfire has already been set ablaze. And Jesus is the one who was consumed. Jesus is the one who got burned. Jesus is the one who was turned to ash and stubble.
Therefore belief in Jesus, fearing him as the resurrected Son of the Almighty sets us free to leap for joy like calves released from the barn in spring. We can jump for joy because the Lord has set us free from his anger and his wrath, because the Lord has paid for our sin.
The second thing for us to notice, and this is of some importance, is that the coming of Elijah the prophet is to turn the hearts of the children to their father and the hearts of fathers to their children.
Now, this is true on a generational scale. We always talk about the “faith of our fathers”, and the need to return to the faithfulness of previous generations. This is certainly true and there is much to be learned from going back and revisiting the example left for us by those previous generations.
But there is also much to be said for this generation. Our own generation and our own families. Today's dads and today's children. Today's families are under attack. Our world doesn't respect fathers or fatherhood. We are told that dads aren't necessary. No dad is no problem. And two moms is probably ideal. This is nonsense. Children need their father.
And in your home, with your children and with your father, there needs to be strength and love. Dads need to have their hearts turned to their kids. Their hearts, not just their wallets, but also not just the back of their hand. Their kids need their hearts. It is easy for dads to become disengaged from the family, to pursue work, a career, a hobby, whatever. Dads need to put their hearts into their homes.
And likewise with kids. Kids these days have so many distractions. iPods and cellphones and sports and school and extracurricular fun. None of these things has to be bad, but often they are because often they get in the way of relationship with dad. Often the only way Dad can get the attention of his teen is if he send her a text. Teens, and in fact children of all ages need to turn their heart to their fathers.
Jesus does this. He does this in us. He turns our hearts outside of ourselves, away from being stuck in the rut of our careers, our goals or our aspirations; away from being stuck in the rut of our peer groups or friends or electronic gadgets. He turns us.
And the first turning is the most important. It is the turning of repentance and the turning of faith. God our heavenly father has turned his heart toward us by giving us his Son to die for us and then He has also turned our heart to him by sending us his Spirit to call us to faith to cause our hearts to love him and to fear him.
And then he turns us toward each other. In the commandments we learn to love one another and this love begins in the family. Between father and children. Between dad and the little ones God has given to him to cherish.
Amen. Now may the peace that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Malachi 4:1-6
The Day of the Lord is coming. So says our text. And it is coming with fire and wrath. It is coming to set fire to the wicked, to turn them to ash and stubble. It is coming so that the wicked are burned up and trampled under foot. But what is the Day of the Lord? What does it mean that it is coming? When will it come? And what does that have to do with us?
All good questions. All important questions. All questions that Christians should be able to answer.
Our Bible readings today look toward the end. They look forward into those last times, those days leading up to the very last day when our Lord returns. On that last day he will come in judgment and wrath to destroy the wicked. But for those who fear the name of the Lord, that day will be a day of freedom and joy. It will be a day for healing and for celebration. For the Christian the Day of the Lord is a day to look forward to. But there are days to endure before it comes...
In the Old Testament, the phrase “Day of the Lord” is a common term. The Old Testament prophets use this phrase frequently as they are describing a coming day of judgment. For the Israelites who disobeyed the Lord and followed the false gods of their neighbors, the prophets warned that the day of judgment, the Day of the Lord was coming for them so that they would receive God's judgment for their unfaithfulness.
But, the true prophets of the Almighty God are always more skilled than what we often give them credit for. They see further. They see more. There is this temptation to reduce the visions of the prophets to only one day or only one event. Kind of like a weather man who pops up every now and again to give us a prediction for one particular storm that's brewing on the horizon. God's prophets have a much greater purpose because God has a much greater goal. Our Lord is constantly working on our salvation. He is constantly working out our rescue from this evil world so every prophecy and every prediction always relates to the work that he is doing for us in Christ. The day of the Lord is a day of judgment, but it is also and especially the day of salvation for those who believe on His name.
And so the day of the Lord comes. It is coming soon. And on that day we will be saved!
There are two things in our text that are worth noticing, especially in the last few verses.
The first thing we should notice is that the prophet says that the Lord will send Elijah. If you are familiar with the Old Testament and especially with the Old Testament prophets you will know that Elijah was one of these prophets. And while Elijah never wrote any books, he was certainly very busy. Elijah was a mighty and a powerful prophet. He caused a famine as a warning to the faithless Israelites and their king, King Ahab. He defeated the prophets of the false god Baal at Mt Carmel. He raised a dead child back to life by praying for him and interceding before God on behalf of the mother. So God says he will send Elijah. He is promising to send a mighty prophet.
When the Angel Gabriel came to visit Zechariah as he was serving in the temple, Gabriel told Zechariah that his son John, John the Baptist, would receive the spirit of Elijah. That John would come before Christ to fulfill the words of our text. Our Lord, speaking through the Angel, informs us that John was this prophet. That John came to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers and the hearts of the fathers toward their children in preparation for the coming of Jesus.
This is important for you and for me. It means for us that the Day of the Lord has come. The day of wrath and the day of salvation has come in Jesus. The wrath and the anger of God that will come to consume the wicked like grass in a bonfire has already been set ablaze. And Jesus is the one who was consumed. Jesus is the one who got burned. Jesus is the one who was turned to ash and stubble.
Therefore belief in Jesus, fearing him as the resurrected Son of the Almighty sets us free to leap for joy like calves released from the barn in spring. We can jump for joy because the Lord has set us free from his anger and his wrath, because the Lord has paid for our sin.
The second thing for us to notice, and this is of some importance, is that the coming of Elijah the prophet is to turn the hearts of the children to their father and the hearts of fathers to their children.
Now, this is true on a generational scale. We always talk about the “faith of our fathers”, and the need to return to the faithfulness of previous generations. This is certainly true and there is much to be learned from going back and revisiting the example left for us by those previous generations.
But there is also much to be said for this generation. Our own generation and our own families. Today's dads and today's children. Today's families are under attack. Our world doesn't respect fathers or fatherhood. We are told that dads aren't necessary. No dad is no problem. And two moms is probably ideal. This is nonsense. Children need their father.
And in your home, with your children and with your father, there needs to be strength and love. Dads need to have their hearts turned to their kids. Their hearts, not just their wallets, but also not just the back of their hand. Their kids need their hearts. It is easy for dads to become disengaged from the family, to pursue work, a career, a hobby, whatever. Dads need to put their hearts into their homes.
And likewise with kids. Kids these days have so many distractions. iPods and cellphones and sports and school and extracurricular fun. None of these things has to be bad, but often they are because often they get in the way of relationship with dad. Often the only way Dad can get the attention of his teen is if he send her a text. Teens, and in fact children of all ages need to turn their heart to their fathers.
Jesus does this. He does this in us. He turns our hearts outside of ourselves, away from being stuck in the rut of our careers, our goals or our aspirations; away from being stuck in the rut of our peer groups or friends or electronic gadgets. He turns us.
And the first turning is the most important. It is the turning of repentance and the turning of faith. God our heavenly father has turned his heart toward us by giving us his Son to die for us and then He has also turned our heart to him by sending us his Spirit to call us to faith to cause our hearts to love him and to fear him.
And then he turns us toward each other. In the commandments we learn to love one another and this love begins in the family. Between father and children. Between dad and the little ones God has given to him to cherish.
Amen. Now may the peace that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
November 7 Matthew 5:1-12
The balance of power has shifted yet again in our schizophrenic political climate. This past Tuesday was election day and with this election cycle we witnessed a bit of a house cleaning in both the state and federal government. Dissatisfied voters went to the polls to elect replacements for many of the incumbent political leaders. Only 2 years ago we saw a wide swath of change as many democratic candidates rode the wave of popularity stirred up by now-president Obama; it would seem that with Tuesday's election results, that tide has already receded and a new tide is making its way in to our political shore line.
While we are citizens of this world, because we are believers in Christ our primary citizenship is in heaven. Our faith helps us to understand that the struggles for power in this world are far less important than the world would have us believe; after all, as the Psalms remind us, “The earth is the Lord's and everything in it” (Ps. 24:1) and “Kingship belongs to the Lord and He rules over it.” (Ps. 22:28) But still this world competes for power.
The world makes so much of political power. It is almost a religion; there is an assumption that when you have worldly power you must have God's favor. After all, you can influence the direction of cultures and countries and societies. You can make headlines. You can even make history. And so in the world, elections, and the quest for power are a big deal.
But that is the way of the world. It is not the way of the church, it is not the way of the Christian. Christ has not called us to power, political or otherwise. Christ has called us to faith.And in that call is his command; his command that we have before us here in our Gospel for today.
Those who are poor in spirit are blessed, because to them is the kingdom of heaven.
Those who mourn are blessed, because they will be comforted
Those who are meek are blessed, because they will inherit the earth.
Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, because they will be filled.
The merciful are blessed, because they will receive mercy.
Those who are pure in heart are blessed, for the will see God
The peace makers are blessed, because they will be called sons of God.
Those who are persecuted for righteousness sake will be blessed for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
While Tuesday was election day, Monday, November the first, was All Saints Day. The history of this church celebration is rooted in the early centuries of the church when persecution and martyrdom were more common place. Many faithful believers were routinely arrested and murdered. These Christians stood firm in the face of persecution and even death, they would not back down and they would not let go of their faith. Their stories became inspirational examples for the church that were worth celebrating. And so they would set aside days for their remembrance. Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Origen of Alexandria, Pollycarp, Perpetua and Felicity. Their stories became examples of Christ's victory over Satan and the World. These Christians were sent to Glory making bold testimony to the truth of the Gospel. All Saints Day is the commemoration of these faithful departed.
But their voices are not alone. They are not the only ones testifying to the victory of Christ over sin and Satan. Every Christian who dies, faithful to the Gospel is a witness of Christ's power over the devil.
Very foolishly, I think, we overlook this, we discount this daily battle that we fight. St Peter tells us that the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. It is his purpose to devour you. If he could only lure one of you away from the fold of Christ's flock he would consider that a great and precious victory. He desires you death and destruction in hell.
And so he attacks you. There are times that he attacks as he attacked the Christian martyrs of old through worldly forces, through death and the threat of physical harm. But we are more used to his subtle attacks. He disguises his attacks in temptations to sin. He lies to you and tells you that these temptations are for your good, for your enjoyment. He tells you they won't hurt you and that they will even be good for you. He tells you that you deserve the happiness it will bring. And so you give in. You indulge the sin.
But that is only the first step. Once you have given in, he then attacks you with guilt or bitterness or anger. He turns you against yourself, against your brothers and sisters in Christ, against God and he stirs that pot of bitterness hoping that it will cause you to loose your faith.
Dear friends, do not give in to these battles. Do not pretend to have the strength and the where with all to fight these battles. You cannot. The devil is too strong for you. Don't consider yourself to be a spiritual crusader and mighty warrior, you are not powerful or strong, not the way the world views power and strength. Instead you are poor.
Poor in spirit, but to you is the kingdom of heaven. You mourn, but you will be comforted. You are meek and humble, like a lamb hunted by lions, but you will inherit the earth, you thirst for righteousness (like a deer panting for water) and your thirst will be satisfied. Your are merciful because you have received mercy. You make peace because you are God's children. And therefore you are persecuted, you are reviled and lied about and cursed by the world and by the devil. But still you are blessed.
You are blessed because of the power, the strength, the honor and the glory of the one who fights for you. Christ is you captain. Christ is your champion. He fights your battles. He defeats your enemies. He vanquishes your foes. He gives you honor. He gives you his glory.
And so we are poor. The world hates poverty, looks down on those who are poor, pities those who are poor. The church revels in it.
Now, there were those in the medieval church who mistakenly believed that there was some blessing in going without worldly possessions, that it was somehow better or more pious to be poor. And so they would give away everything they owned, take a vow of poverty and live as a beggar. Jesus doesn't mean to have us believe that we are somehow closer to God when we have fewer possessions or less wealth. Jesus says that it is those who are poor in spirit who are blessed. To be poor in spirit is to be spiritually poor. Elsewhere Jesus used the comparison of a tax collector and a pharisee. One who seemed to be have personal righteousness in spades compared to one who was despised as a sinner. One boasted, the other repented. One claimed his own power, the other begged God of His. The beggar received blessing, the boaster when home without. Ironically, each one received what he came seeking.
But the promise is this, those who are poor are promised that they will be rich. Those who have nothing, no spiritual strength, no spiritual power, no honor or glory of their own, they receive the Kingdom of Heaven. The receive from God a heavenly inheritance. They receive the crown of glory.
The world rejoices in power and wealth and worldly strength. Is there a greater defeat in the eyes of the world than to be defeated and to have your earthly life taken from you? The world thought it had defeated the Christian Martyrs of old. Even today, the world despises the weakness of Christians who are killed as they gather to pray or to worship. But the church knows the difference. Death is no defeat for the Christian. Death is victory because Christ has won. That Christian is with Jesus. That Christian is before God's throne. That Christian can never suffer again.
Our Revelation text tells us of what happens to the saints after they are taken to heaven.
[15] “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
[16] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
[17] For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
(Revelation 7:15-17 ESV)
The Christian Martyrs are there. They are in heaven with God. They were called upon to testify to Christ's victory over death by surrendering their life to the devil and this sinful world. But there are others who are there with them, others who suffered as well, although not with the same martyrdom. They might not have been murdered for their faith or beaten or tortured. But they suffered still the same. They were attacked daily by Satan and in testimony to their faith they stood firm. The Lord was with them and he gained the victory in them over sin. They too are there in heaven with him preserved for all eternity. Your friends, your family members who died in the faith are a part of that community of the victorious in heaven with Jesus.
The Lord has Won! He himself has risen and has defeated sin and death. And that resurrection and that defeat of Satan has transferred over into the life of your friend, your loved one. The victory of Jesus is made real in the life and even in the death of the saints. Today is All Saints day. All the saints. Even our own.
Jesus has died, he has risen and he is alive. He life, his resurrected life gives life to all those who believe. We celebrate His victory in them and his victory in you.
Amen.
While we are citizens of this world, because we are believers in Christ our primary citizenship is in heaven. Our faith helps us to understand that the struggles for power in this world are far less important than the world would have us believe; after all, as the Psalms remind us, “The earth is the Lord's and everything in it” (Ps. 24:1) and “Kingship belongs to the Lord and He rules over it.” (Ps. 22:28) But still this world competes for power.
The world makes so much of political power. It is almost a religion; there is an assumption that when you have worldly power you must have God's favor. After all, you can influence the direction of cultures and countries and societies. You can make headlines. You can even make history. And so in the world, elections, and the quest for power are a big deal.
But that is the way of the world. It is not the way of the church, it is not the way of the Christian. Christ has not called us to power, political or otherwise. Christ has called us to faith.And in that call is his command; his command that we have before us here in our Gospel for today.
Those who are poor in spirit are blessed, because to them is the kingdom of heaven.
Those who mourn are blessed, because they will be comforted
Those who are meek are blessed, because they will inherit the earth.
Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, because they will be filled.
The merciful are blessed, because they will receive mercy.
Those who are pure in heart are blessed, for the will see God
The peace makers are blessed, because they will be called sons of God.
Those who are persecuted for righteousness sake will be blessed for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
While Tuesday was election day, Monday, November the first, was All Saints Day. The history of this church celebration is rooted in the early centuries of the church when persecution and martyrdom were more common place. Many faithful believers were routinely arrested and murdered. These Christians stood firm in the face of persecution and even death, they would not back down and they would not let go of their faith. Their stories became inspirational examples for the church that were worth celebrating. And so they would set aside days for their remembrance. Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Origen of Alexandria, Pollycarp, Perpetua and Felicity. Their stories became examples of Christ's victory over Satan and the World. These Christians were sent to Glory making bold testimony to the truth of the Gospel. All Saints Day is the commemoration of these faithful departed.
But their voices are not alone. They are not the only ones testifying to the victory of Christ over sin and Satan. Every Christian who dies, faithful to the Gospel is a witness of Christ's power over the devil.
Very foolishly, I think, we overlook this, we discount this daily battle that we fight. St Peter tells us that the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. It is his purpose to devour you. If he could only lure one of you away from the fold of Christ's flock he would consider that a great and precious victory. He desires you death and destruction in hell.
And so he attacks you. There are times that he attacks as he attacked the Christian martyrs of old through worldly forces, through death and the threat of physical harm. But we are more used to his subtle attacks. He disguises his attacks in temptations to sin. He lies to you and tells you that these temptations are for your good, for your enjoyment. He tells you they won't hurt you and that they will even be good for you. He tells you that you deserve the happiness it will bring. And so you give in. You indulge the sin.
But that is only the first step. Once you have given in, he then attacks you with guilt or bitterness or anger. He turns you against yourself, against your brothers and sisters in Christ, against God and he stirs that pot of bitterness hoping that it will cause you to loose your faith.
Dear friends, do not give in to these battles. Do not pretend to have the strength and the where with all to fight these battles. You cannot. The devil is too strong for you. Don't consider yourself to be a spiritual crusader and mighty warrior, you are not powerful or strong, not the way the world views power and strength. Instead you are poor.
Poor in spirit, but to you is the kingdom of heaven. You mourn, but you will be comforted. You are meek and humble, like a lamb hunted by lions, but you will inherit the earth, you thirst for righteousness (like a deer panting for water) and your thirst will be satisfied. Your are merciful because you have received mercy. You make peace because you are God's children. And therefore you are persecuted, you are reviled and lied about and cursed by the world and by the devil. But still you are blessed.
You are blessed because of the power, the strength, the honor and the glory of the one who fights for you. Christ is you captain. Christ is your champion. He fights your battles. He defeats your enemies. He vanquishes your foes. He gives you honor. He gives you his glory.
And so we are poor. The world hates poverty, looks down on those who are poor, pities those who are poor. The church revels in it.
Now, there were those in the medieval church who mistakenly believed that there was some blessing in going without worldly possessions, that it was somehow better or more pious to be poor. And so they would give away everything they owned, take a vow of poverty and live as a beggar. Jesus doesn't mean to have us believe that we are somehow closer to God when we have fewer possessions or less wealth. Jesus says that it is those who are poor in spirit who are blessed. To be poor in spirit is to be spiritually poor. Elsewhere Jesus used the comparison of a tax collector and a pharisee. One who seemed to be have personal righteousness in spades compared to one who was despised as a sinner. One boasted, the other repented. One claimed his own power, the other begged God of His. The beggar received blessing, the boaster when home without. Ironically, each one received what he came seeking.
But the promise is this, those who are poor are promised that they will be rich. Those who have nothing, no spiritual strength, no spiritual power, no honor or glory of their own, they receive the Kingdom of Heaven. The receive from God a heavenly inheritance. They receive the crown of glory.
The world rejoices in power and wealth and worldly strength. Is there a greater defeat in the eyes of the world than to be defeated and to have your earthly life taken from you? The world thought it had defeated the Christian Martyrs of old. Even today, the world despises the weakness of Christians who are killed as they gather to pray or to worship. But the church knows the difference. Death is no defeat for the Christian. Death is victory because Christ has won. That Christian is with Jesus. That Christian is before God's throne. That Christian can never suffer again.
Our Revelation text tells us of what happens to the saints after they are taken to heaven.
[15] “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
[16] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
[17] For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
(Revelation 7:15-17 ESV)
The Christian Martyrs are there. They are in heaven with God. They were called upon to testify to Christ's victory over death by surrendering their life to the devil and this sinful world. But there are others who are there with them, others who suffered as well, although not with the same martyrdom. They might not have been murdered for their faith or beaten or tortured. But they suffered still the same. They were attacked daily by Satan and in testimony to their faith they stood firm. The Lord was with them and he gained the victory in them over sin. They too are there in heaven with him preserved for all eternity. Your friends, your family members who died in the faith are a part of that community of the victorious in heaven with Jesus.
The Lord has Won! He himself has risen and has defeated sin and death. And that resurrection and that defeat of Satan has transferred over into the life of your friend, your loved one. The victory of Jesus is made real in the life and even in the death of the saints. Today is All Saints day. All the saints. Even our own.
Jesus has died, he has risen and he is alive. He life, his resurrected life gives life to all those who believe. We celebrate His victory in them and his victory in you.
Amen.
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