Monday, November 29, 2010

November 28/29 sermon on Matthew 24:36-44 by Pastor Paul G. Eckert

November 28/29, 2010 - Advent 1
Sermon text - Matthew 24:36-44
Pastor Paul G. Eckert
How many days to --- ? That question, I am sure, is asked about many things. That was done leading up to November 2. How many days before we finally had the election and could stop hearing all of the claims and counter claims being made? That was done leading up to Thanksgiving. How many days before cousins show up, or grandma and grandpa show up and the turkey shows up?
Now we are starting the Advent and Christmas season. Here too we can ask how many days. How many days to our first Wednesday Advent services? Not many at all. Our first Wednesday Advent services are this coming Wednesday at 3:30 and 7:00. How many days to Christmas? Children may ask that thinking especially of Christmas presents. I hope we all ask it thinking also of our special church services in which we want to thank and glorify God for fulfilling His promises of sending our Savior into this world. As to how many days to Christmas - well, up to December 25 we still have 27/26 days to go.
Our text, however, is not talking about election day or Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day. It’s talking about the final day, judgment day. And so we ask:
HOW MANY DAYS TO --- ?
I THERE ARE ALERTS (36-39)
1. There was an alert for the flood (37,39)
"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. --- and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."
a) here God alerted Noah in advance that this universal flood
would not come for another 120 years
b) but even though the people had this alert about when, heard
Noah preach about this, could see a massive vessel a football
field and a half long being built, they disregarded the alert,
mocked, and probably did not stop that until the rains came and
they saw the ark rising and floating away
2. So we have alerts (36-37,39)
No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. --- and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son
of Man."
a) God said the flood would come, and it did
b) in the same way God, without saying how many years or days
or hours, plainly has said that the end will come; He has
promised it won’t be by a flood this time, but it will come
3. There is nothing wrong with daily living (38)
"For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; ---."
a) none of these things is forbidden by God; all are good and
should be received as blessings for our earthly life
b) the people before the flood did all of these things; the problem
isn’t with what they did, but with what they did not do
4. Are we heeding the alerts? (37-39)
"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."
a) go ahead, eat and drink and live marriage as Christians - the
world needs more examples of living God’s will correctly
b) but what if you eat and drink and marry and forget God’s will?
what if you seek first what you desire and strive first for earthly
goals instead of seeking first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness?
c) the countdown for the final day is taking place; when it comes,
do you want to be found with your food and drink and cars and
homes and luxuries, but without Christ?
II THE TIME WILL COME (36,39-41)
1. It did come and it will come (39,36)
" --- they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."
a) the flood came at the end of the 120 years, as God said
b) in exactly the same way the final day will come, except that we
don’t know how many hours or days or years that still will be,
as Jesus said, "No one knows about that day or hour, not
even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
2. Many reject the thought of a judgment day coming a) ready to accept thought of terrorist attacks, nuclear disaster;
but not of a day of judgment that includes a hell for all who
have rejected what God in His love did for this world, who may
celebrate Christmas but don’t see Christ at all as the Savior
b) instead many like to think that somehow all will end up in
heaven whatever they believe, or that there will be a second
chance, reincarnations, or just nothingness when death comes
3. But God speaks clearly about judgment (40-41)
"Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left."
a) a difference! not all will be the same; there will be a separation
that takes place on judgment day, a separation which Jesus
summed up by saying: "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."
b) it’s like at the flood: those who were in the ark were saved;
those who were not were lost: a difference, a separation
4. What will happen to us? (39a)
" --- they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away."
a) will we go through life just eating and drinking and being
concerned about daily living, paying no attention to God’s
Word, figuring it will make no difference because we think
we have plenty of time to "get religion" later on, or we think
there won’t be any judgment anyway?
b) there was a difference when the flood came - and I wonder
how many pounded on the door of the ark in vain
c) and there will be a difference when judgment day comes;
there definitely will be a separation that will take place
III WILL WE BE READY? (36,42-44)
1. Jesus has made us ready (36)
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
a) amazing! Jesus said He did not know when judgment day
would come; just think! to be our Savior, God’s eternal Son,
Jesus, had humbled Himself, took on our flesh and blood,
remained the Son of God but willingly set aside His glory, set
aside His full knowledge while He was here on earth, even set
aside His power and life itself, so that He could die on the cross
as our substitute to pay for our sins and remove our guilt and
open heaven’s door for us forgiven sinners
b) all of that for us! but now, exalted in glory, He knows when
judgment day is coming, and He wants us to be prepared
2. This warning comes to believers (42)
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."
a) Jesus knows our day of death and the day of final judgment
b) we don’t; and that is why He wants us to keep watch, be alert
3. Would we permit ourselves to be robbed? (43-44)
"But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
a) we are in process of setting up new security system for our
school and church for protection for our children and property
b) God wants us to be protected from eternal loss; He wants us
by faith to be secure in the ark of salvation and not in the flood
waters of sin and unbelief that want to drag us into eternal
doom
4. Live in readiness of faith always (42,44)
"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. --- So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him."
a) know that judgment day is surely coming
b) be on guard against the flooding waters of sin and against
human philosophy that sees no need for a Savior from sin
c) be faithful even to death, stay in the Word, truly celebrate
Christ in Christmas, worship Him in our church services, keep
Him in your hearts and in your homes - live in daily readiness
HOW MANY DAYS TO --- ? I don’t know. But when we have Jesus, it makes no difference. He is our Savior!

Monday, November 22, 2010

CHRIST THE KING/STEWARDSHIP
November 21/22, 2010
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Luke 7:36-50

“LOVE TAKES TIME…”
1. To give forgiveness.
2. To show thanks for forgiveness.

Luke 7:36-50 (NIV) “Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Some wise pastor once told me “When you have a parable in your text, look for the person who is most out of character, who does not act like you would expect and there you will find a picture of your God.” Let’s do that with the parable in our text. Two men owed money to a money lender. One about $50,000, the other about $5,000. Nothing unusual there. Lots of people get into debt. Neither man could pay their debt. Well that’s not all that unusual either. So the moneylender on his own, freely canceled their debt. Ah, now that’s unusual. No letters in the mail. No bill collectors set loose to recover what they can. No garnishing of wages. Freely canceled debt. There’s our God! There’s a picture of Jesus. And yet the parable was told to make a point. The greater the debt forgiven, the greater the appreciation for that forgiveness.
This parable was also told within a context. Let’s go there and see what our Lord wants us to learn. Jesus was invited to have dinner with a Pharisee named Simon. We’re not told why. Simon’s reaction makes us think that he was curious about this man named Jesus. Maybe he had heard some things and wanted to check him out. All of the sudden, uninvited and unexpected, in walks “the sinful woman!” How would you like to be known as “the sinful woman?” I wonder if in heaven when we see her, will we say, “Hey, you’re the sinful woman! Just what did you do anyway?” That’s not important. What is important is what she did with Jesus. She had obviously taken the time to plan this. She had taken the time to buy some perfume. She had gotten up the courage and she took the time to go into a hostile environment and she in her own way showed love, gratitude, appreciation to Jesus.
Why? Forgiveness. When a sinner is painfully aware of their sinfulness, when they need no further proof that they deserve punishment from the Lord, when guilt and shame are constant companions, nothing else is more important than to be forgiven. Jesus did that. That was His mission. To forgive sins. In His love for all people, for Simon the Pharisee, for the sinful woman, for you and me, Jesus took the time to come and be our Savior, to live for us. To die for us. To live again and put into motion His Church and the ministry of the Gospel so that He could forgive sins. There we see it again. Love takes time. Jesus took the time to win forgiveness and the time to announce forgiveness. “Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
But let’s go back to the context of the parable. In addition to Jesus the two major players are the sinful woman and Simon the Pharisee. Let’s start with Simon. He was a Pharisee. That means he was very eager to see that people kept God’s laws and the extra laws the Pharisees came up with. It means he worked very hard to do what was outwardly right. It also meant that he was better at seeing other people’s sins than his own. It showed. “When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” It showed in his attitude toward his fellow Israelite. It showed in his actions, or lack thereof, toward Jesus. “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.” There’s Simon.
Then there is the sinful woman. Doesn’t sound like she had any trouble being aware of her sins. Sounds like everyone else helped her remember. But look at what she does. “When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.” Why does she do that? Jesus tells us. “Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” The greater the debt forgiven, the greater the appreciation for that forgiveness. She was thankful for her forgiveness. She loved Jesus. And love takes time. It takes time to show thankfulness for forgiveness.
Am I taking time to show thankfulness for forgiveness? You can’t escape that question as you meditate on this word of God. Am I more Simonish or more sinful womanish? You can’t dodge those questions either if you want to apply this Word of God to yourself. Let’s see. There’s an easy way to tell. Are you more bothered by the sins others commit or you think they commit or are you more bothered by your own? Do you see yourself as the chief of sinners or someone else? When the Lord Jesus looks at you, and He does, does He conclude that you love Him a little or love Him a lot? Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” I know who I want to be!
This week we conclude our series on Stewardship of time with its theme love takes time. Throughout our Synod brothers and sisters have taken the time to look at their use of time. Have you? I suggest you look at your weekly and monthly calendar and highlight those areas where you deliberately made time to show love for Jesus, to show love for your fellow church members, to show love for other people. See if you like what you see. If not, ask God’s help to make changes. And then get God’s help. Immerse yourself in His Word. Prioritize that time. Treat Jesus’ invitation with high priority as well.
Simon invited Jesus to a dinner, a regular average dinner. Jesus invites you to a special dinner. His dinner. The Lord’s Supper. There He has forgiveness for our lovelessness and our self centered use of time on things that really don’t matter. There He gives strength to live a life of repentance that takes time to show thanks for forgiveness. And some day maybe people will talk about you or me as that sinful man or sinful woman whose many sins have been forgiven and whose loving actions showed it. Amen.

Monday, November 15, 2010

November 14/15, 2010 sermon by Pastor Paul Eckert on 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5

November 14/15, 2010 Saints Triumphant
Sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert
Sermon text - 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5
CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP TAKES TIME
TO BE THANKFUL AND TO STAND FIRM,
TO BE ENCOURAGED FOR DEEDS AND PRAYER,
and TO BE CONFIDENT IN GOD’S LOVE AND DIRECTING.

"Saints Triumphant" is the title for this week in the church year. That makes us ask, "Who are the saints, and how can we speak of them being triumphant?" The basic meaning of the word saint is holy. So the saints are holy people, as we say in the Apostles’ Creed: "the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints." We can speak of that communion of saints also as the congregation or gathering of saints, of those who are holy. That holiness in time, being triumphant now while we live here on earth, is because of the forgiveness of sins through Jesus. That holiness in eternity, being triumphant where there is no sin, is in full glory with Jesus in our heavenly home.
How wonderful that will be, when we are home in eternity with Jesus in glory, when every tear will be wiped from our eyes and all of the difficulties of life the way it is now in time will be gone. But we who are gathered as God’s saints here, His forgiven people here on earth in time, aren’t there yet, are we.
So we are still dealing with time, something that has a beginning and an ending. What then do we, who are triumphant saints now because of our Savior’s forgiving love, do in our time that has a beginning and an end? We live, don’t we, and we can speak of our Christian lives as a time when we are stewards of whatever amount of time God gives us. Let’s call tha t Christian stewardship of time, and now point out that Christian Stewardship Takes Time to do various things.
CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP TAKES TIME
I TO BE THANKFUL AND TO STAND FIRM (13-15)
1. Thankful that God chose us (13a)
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved ---.
a) we can choose a lot of things, like what to have for breakfast,
whether we go to one of our Sunday services or go on Monday
evening, what clothes to wear, and so on and on
b) but choose to be saved? make the decision to accept Jesus as
Savior when by our natural thinking someone dying on a cross
makes no sense, when our natural thinking about being saved
can come up only with being reasonably good or at least better
than a lot of other bad guys out there? - fellow saints, be
thankful from the bottom of your hearts that we did not choose
to be saved but that God chose us, and that He did that from
way before we could think or choose to do anything
2. Thankful for how He did this (13-14a)
But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, ---.
a) in eternity already God chose us to be saved; then in time, in
the lifetime of each of us, He called us through the Gospel, the
good news about His Son being sent into our time on this earth
to substitute for us sinners, to take our place in order to pay the
wages of our sin, to bring the innocent sacrifice that God
would accept to cancel our debt of sin so that we might be
forgiven and have the promise of eternal life in glory
b) and then, as God sent His Son for us, be thankful that He also
sends His Holy Spirit to us through this good news so that we
believe this Gospel truth, as our text again says, "from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth."
3. Thankful for what this means (14)
He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
a) glory already, right now saints triumphant; that is how God in
His grace sees all who believe, all in Christ Jesus in whom there
is no condemnation, no sin to bar our way into heaven
b) and finally heaven, sharing there "in the glory of our Lord
Jesus Christ," when the ills of our earthly life will all be gone
4. Stand firm in this precious truth (15)
So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
a) the plan of salvation is God’s plan, what He did for us
b) this truth, His Word, His teachings in Word and sacraments, is
what the Holy Spirit uses to give us faith in that precious truth
c) take time, use time, to hear and read and grow in this Gospel
of salvation; and in that way be thankful and stand firm
II TO BE ENCOURAGED FOR DEEDS AND PRAYER (16-3)
1. Consider again what we have (16)
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who
loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good
hope, ---.
a) every day, now in our lifetime on earth, we have God’s love,
also when we don’t always understand His ways; we have His
grace which assures us that for Jesus’ sake we are forgiven,
holy, triumphant saints
b) and what about the future? - for that we have eternal
encouragement and good hope, because God has glory for us
after this vale of tears
2. Let that encourage what we do in time (16-17)
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
a) what we have now and will have in eternity should not be
hidden away, kept secret from those who don’t yet have it
b) instead let that encourage us in our Christian stewardship to
take time to let our deeds - how we live our Christian lives, and
to let our words - the language we use, show people who we
are to the glory of our Savior God so that our moral behavior
and our God-pleasing talking draw people to want to find out
why we live the Christian lives we live
3. Use time also for prayer (1-2)
Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith.
a) be mission-minded; pray for those who don’t yet know Jesus,
don’t yet know the wonderfulness of forgiveness and grace
b) pray for those who proclaim the message of grace, for our
synod and its workers in our country and in other countries,
for St. Jacobi congregation’s called workers as we try to share
the Gospel with children and adults, members and others
4. And be encouraged by God’s assurances (3)
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.
a) are we alone as we take time for deeds and words and prayer?
b) no! we have our faithful Lord to strengthen and protect us
from the devil who doesn’t want us to use time for serving God
c) trusting that, be encouraged to take time for deeds and words
and prayer
III TO BE CONFIDENT IN GOD’S LOVE AND DIRECTING
1. Notice Paul’s confidence here (4) /(4-5)
We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command.
a) Paul expressed much confidence in this congregation’s doing
b) that included confidence they would continue, not slack off
2. Can we have the same confidence? (4)
We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command.
a) our children are instructed and make promises of faithfulness
and become adult members of our congregation; our long-time
members and new members joining us say they are one with us
in the confession of the truth, that they will make faithful use of
Word and sacraments, and that according to ability they will
serve the Lord with their time and talents and offerings
b) is that happening? can we have the same confidence about St.
Jacobi congregation in Greenfield that the apostle Paul
expressed about the Christian congregation in Thessalonica?
3. May we continue to be directed in the right direction (5)
May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
a) "into God’s love" - O how great that love that loved the
world, loves us, forgives us and makes us saints triumphant
b) "Christ’s perseverance" - Christ did not quit; He persevered
to the cross, to an innocent death, to His resurrection; all for us
4. In this way may we be confident in the Lord (4-5)
We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
a) be confident because we know God’s love and His will for us
b) continuing in that confidence, let us remember that Christian
stewardship takes time and will use time to serve our God
c) and so let us ask God to strengthen us through faithful use of
His Word and His Supper so that we continue to use time
TO BE THANKFUL AND TO STAND FIRM,
TO BE ENCOURAGED FOR DEEDS AND PRAYER,
and TO BE CONFIDENT IN GOD’S LOVE AND DIRECTING.

Monday, November 8, 2010

LAST JUDGMENT/STEWARDSHIP OF TIME
November 78, 2010
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Acts 2:37-47

LOVE FOR EACH OTHER TAKES TIME
1. Spent in repentance.
2. Spent in the Word.
3. Spent with each other.

Acts 2:37-47 (NIV) “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

We are in the End Times portion of the church year. Today’s emphasis is “Last Judgment.” One truth that stands out is that your time on earth is limited. Across our Synod brothers and sisters are taking time to ponder that truth and examine their use of time. We are following the theme “Love Takes Time.” Last week we talked about why we want to take time to show love. By God’s grace alone, through faith in Jesus alone, we are the children of God as the Scriptures alone declare. This week we focus on taking time to show love to one another in our congregation.
The end of our reading gave us a picture of what we might call the perfect Christian congregation. They were together. They shared with one another. It was obvious to outsiders how much they loved each other. Now as you listened to that congregation described you may have found yourself mentally rolling your eyes. Perhaps you thought, “That’s not realistic for a modern day church.” Or perhaps you are new to St. Jacobi and don’t know many people so you don’t really feel the love yet. Or maybe you know your brothers and sisters too well and that’s causing problems for you. Is it unrealistic for a group of Christians to truly love each other and let it show? Not at all! But that kind of love takes time. Let’s see what God did with the church described in Acts.
I want you to imagine being a Jewish person. You have grown up your whole life hearing your pastors talk about the Messiah who will come. You long for that day. You are in Jerusalem. There is all kinds of excitement because it is Pentecost, the Harvest Festival. Joy and thanksgiving and good food are on your mind. Something weird happens though. The loud rushing noise like a wind drawing everyone to the house where the Apostles are. There you see what looks like tongues of fire on their heads. There they speak in different languages of the world proclaiming the great things God has done. Then Peter stands up. In a way you have never heard before he walks you through your Bible explaining the real work of the Messiah and then this is his concluding sentence: “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!” Gulp!
That background explains the reaction. “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” God’s law did its work. Sin was exposed. And there is something about sin when it comes to the sinner. Sin does not need to be explained. It does need to be understood. It does not need to be coddled. It does not need to be justified. It needs to be repented. “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
Many of them did. They spent time in repentance and their repentance showed. “Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Now these people spent time in the Word. Forgiveness of sins comes from God. It flows to His people through the means of grace, the Gospel message that comes in Word and Sacrament. Here we find people devoting themselves to these means. Hearts were changed and lives were changed.
Now they spent time together. “All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Wow! What a church! Wish ours could be that way.
It can, but brothers and sisters, it will take time. Love for each other takes time. It will take time spent in repentance. Oh, we may have not murdered the Son of God by nailing Him to the cross but consider these words from 1 John 4:20 “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” Hatred of each other in a congregation can take many forms. The cruel teasing of a classmate. The deliberate irritating of another in return. Derisive comments. Thoughts or words that lead to intentional or unintentional shunning of someone. Delighting in taking words and actions in the worst possible way rather than the best. Gossiping about others sins, failures, misfortunes instead of covering over them with love. Those are not little things. Don’t roll your eyes at me like that’s just the way it is. Those are sins. Filthy, disgusting, exhibitions of hatred. Sin doesn’t need to be explained, understood, justified. It better not be tolerated or coddled. It needs to be acknowledged, sorrowed over, repented. Forgiven.
In a little bit the members of St. Jacobi will have a chance to take the Lord’s Supper together. A word to our visitors. It is our love for you that asks you to wait to participate until you know what we believe together. We don’t want to force our beliefs on you. God says it’s a unity meal. If you’d like more information, just ask me after service. It’s also a forgiveness meal that requires repentant hearts only. Love each other takes time spent in repentance.
It also takes time spent in the word. The correlation is obvious. This new Christian congregation spent time together in the word. Yes, I must highlight the importance of every member who is able to, to come and worship here regularly with each other. Yes, that takes time. Love takes time. Another good way is in one of our many Bible Classes. It is good to have your daily Bible time for yourself. It is also good to be in the word with your fellow members. Love for each other takes time spent in the word.
And then time spent with each other. Some of you saints who have been around a lot longer than I have still talk about the time when the church was the center focus for its members socially as well as spiritually. I hear about the picnics, the choir plays, the dart ball leagues. Times have changed. There are so many other social and entertainment outlets. Can we think about maybe a slight return to the good old days so that we spend time together? I know that the Christian part of each of us really does love each other. But it is so much easier to love those that you actually know and you know what? Getting to know someone takes time! Perhaps if your children are not in school anymore you could volunteer at a tournament so you keep knowing school families. Perhaps you could join our greeters and boldly ask people their names or about their families. Maybe some of our fellowship opportunities could become a higher priority on the list. Maybe it’s as simple as talking with someone you don’t really know after service instead of the same people you already see on other occasions.
Now you are not sinning if you don’t do those things. Nor will doing them get you a better seat in heaven. You’re only going because of Jesus. But it is true that love takes time and showing love to each other takes time too. About our “perfect” church in Acts we are told that “ the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” That’s why we want to be a church family that truly loves one another. We want the Lord to add to our number those who are being saved. May God bless your use of His time. Amen.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

REFORMATION/STEWARDSHIP
October 31/November 1, 2010
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: 1 John 3:1-2

“I AM A CHILD OF GOD!”
1. By Grace Alone.
2. Through Faith Alone.
3. By Scripture Alone
1 John 3:1-2 (NIV) “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”
Who am I? Who are you? Brothers and sisters, these may sound like basic or “Duh” questions but in reality all the great philosophers throughout the ages have tried to answer that question. They want to know what makes people tick, why they do what they do. What makes me tick? or you? What makes me the way I am? Is it nature or nurture? Today as a church family we look at the question “Who am I?” from the vantage point of celebrating the Lutheran Reformation and focusing on our Christian Stewardship of time. Along with many other brothers and sisters in our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod we are focusing on Christ’s love as our calling and noting the fact that love takes time. But back to the question, “Who am I?” If you listened to God’s Word you would answer correctly, “I am a child of God!” We’ll add in a Lutheran way, by grace alone, through faith alone and by Scripture alone.
By grace alone I am a child of God and so are you. God says so. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” When sociologists and other people studiers study people they always have this debate: Is it nature or nurture? Do people act the way they do because they are wired that way or is it learned behavior? When it comes to being a child of God is it by nature? Any person who has the ability to be brutally honest about themselves along with all Bible believers knows that we are not the children of God by nature. By nature we don’t look like God at all. We all start out with that sinful nature that is selfish and spiteful and haughty and mean spirited. If you are honest with your thoughts you admit it. We were talking with Chris Driesbach at supper the other day and in his down to earth way about this very thing he said, “I’ve thought about what it would be like if God had a little viewer that He could shine on people and see what they were thinking. If He did that to me He’d go Ugh, throw that one back. He’s awful.” Chris is honest. By nature we are pitiful sinners.
If you had lived in the time of Luther you would have stopped right here and said, “That is who I am. I am a pitiful sinner probably headed for Hell but if I stick with the church maybe I’ll get a chance a millions of years in purgatory. That’s what the Roman church was teaching its people. But that’s not what God says is it? It says we are the children of God—by grace alone. John used some words to highlight grace. Love lavished on us. That’s grace. Not only does God not give us what we deserve, “Yuck, throw them back!” He gives us what we cannot earn, status as the children of God. That love took time. God carried it out in time when He patiently put up with the backbiting and bickering children of Israel because they carried the Savior to be born with them. Jesus took the time to become one of us and live for us for 33 years and when He took the time to pay price for every sin on Calvary’s cross. Because of God’s grace lavished on me in His Son Jesus Christ, I am a child of God. So are you.
Sometimes it doesn’t always feel that way. Are you ever disappointed in your life as a Christian? Do any of these questions run through your mind? Why do I keep doing that? I know it’s wrong. I know I should be content with just food and clothing because God will never leave me nor forsake me, but I’m not always happy. I know I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength but I keep failing. I know I should rejoice always but I’m just empty inside. Am I really a child of God? Cheer up! Did you know that you are not the only one who looks at you and wonders if you really are a child of God? John says, The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” Did you catch that? The world doesn’t recognize us as children of God. You’ve heard it I’m sure. Churches are filled with hypocrites. The Christians who seem to make it to the news are the ones who have fallen or who speak the truth with hate rather than with love. The world is never going to get it. They don’t realize that being a child of God is not something you attain by your living or being perfect. It is only attained through faith in the One who was perfect for us. Jesus the Christ.
Martin Luther had to learn that truth. He was not taught by his church to do good works to thank God for His forgiveness but rather to earn God’s love and forgiveness. But then the Spirit working through the word revealed to Luther that he was righteous, a child of God by faith alone, in Jesus alone. He learned that the Pope was not his holy father for he already had one holy Father in heaven and that Father said Luther was a child of God, so he was. Do you need to relearn that truth or maybe even learn it for the first time? You are a child of God through faith alone. If you are disappointed in your Christian living, if you wish you could be better for God that’s great. But don’t basis your status on what you look like now. Now you’re still struggling with sin in a sinful world. But when he appears we shall be like Him for we shall see him as he is!
And more good news. He hasn’t left us without help now. I have recently come to the realization that I am starting to look like my father. Now those of you who know my father and mother might raise an eyebrow at that because you would say that in looks I much more favor my mother. But I’m not talking about a physical looking like my dad. Here’s what happened. I was gone from home for about two days. Came back. Kind of expecting that hero’s welcome from the family. You know. Daddy’s home! Daddy’s home! Yeah, no. Here’s what I got. “Sure was quiet around here. Didn’t have to listen to all that whistling!” That’s what I got from all my girls! Whistling all the time? That’s my dad! The whistler. Everywhere. He probably didn’t realize he did it either. Why am I doing that? Well I’ve been shaped by him because of the time I spent with him.
And this is the really neat part for the children of God. We can spend time with Him and the more time we spend with Him the more we will look like Him now. If you would look at the children of God at the time of Martin Luther you would probably have said they don’t look much like the children of God at all. Inquisitions. Tortures. Execution. All carried out in the name of the Lord by the Roman Catholic church. I’m not throwing stones. That’s undisputed history. There’s a simple reason for it. The Bible was a closed book. Few got to read it. God changed things at the Reformation. With the Bible translated into languages people could read and the invention of the printing press soon many of God’s children were spending time with the Father and more and more they began to look like Him.
Today one of your legacies, your birthrights as a child of God and a Lutheran is to be a Bible reader. I am a child of God by Scripture alone. God tells me that here and He shapes me. Are you disappointed with your looks? Would you like to look more like your Father in heaven? Would you like to have in yourself and your home and your church home more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control before you get to heaven? Spend time with your Father in Scripture alone.
It will take you some time, of course. But love takes time. In the next few weeks we’ll look more at how we are using the time God has given to us. We’ll check ourselves in the mirror of God’s Word to see how we look. Maybe we’ll want to make some changes. But when you do look in the mirror see first what God sees, a child of God, by grace alone, by faith alone, by Scripture alone. Amen.