Wednesday, March 28, 2012

March 25th, 2012 Worship Service


LENT 5
March 25/26, 2012
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Jeremiah 31:31-34

“DROP THE OLD FOR THE NEW!”
1. When the old doesn’t work.
2. When the new is better.
3. When God gives it to you.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NIV 1984) “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. 33 “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
I know it’s not a good idea to air your dirty laundry, especially when you live in a parsonage, but I’m going to anyway. Chris and I have this ongoing debate. It has to do with the old and the new, clothes that is. You see Chris is very comfortable getting rid of clothes that are not worn out, donating or reselling them, and replacing them with new. I, well, I’m just not. I like to wear the clothes until they are worn out and then get rid of them and reluctantly replace them with new. The latest lightning rod for this debate is this shirt. My shirt. I really like it. It’s comfortable. Now to be fair to Chris, it does have some holes in it. On the other hand I just wear it to bed as a jammy top. You know I guess the reason I really don’t want to let this shirt go is its message. It says, “Nitschke never wore an earring.” I love that. Young guys if you don’t know who Nitschke is, Google it. Nitschke never wore an earring. I just love that. So I hold on to the old and want nothing new.
Actually this old versus new debate is nothing new but old. It’s been going on for centuries and still goes on in the heart of man with something much more important than clothing. Spiritual matters. The relationship with God and His people. I’m talking about the Old versus New covenant that God announced to His people through Jeremiah. A little context might help. Jeremiah wrote to God’s people who were stuck in Babylon. Why were they stuck there? Repeated idolatry. Blatant worshipping of fake gods. Trusting political alliances and plans instead of God to save them. The Lord had announced that he would bring these people back from Babylon. God’s purpose in both the exile and return was not just a change of location but to effect a change of heart in their attitudes to Him.
And so He said, “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD.” God announced a new covenant to replace the old because the old didn’t work. The old was the covenant God made with the Israelites at Mt. Sinai. It was two sided. It required obedience on the part of God’s people and blessing on the part of God. You know how well it worked. Even while the covenant was being established, Israel was worshipping a golden calf. Then they grumbled and complained against God. Engaged in the idol worshipping orgy with the Moabites. Phineas. Remember that? In fact all the historical books of the nation of Israel from those Moses wrote to Joshua, Judges, Kings and Chronicles, are a monotonous history of Israel breaking the covenant. The old didn’t work. As hard as they tried they didn’t stay faithful to God.
You can relate can’t you? How many times hasn’t it happened in your life that you tried to keep a two sided agreement with God? “Lord, if you make grandpa or dad better I’ll be better at getting to church,” but that effort lasted just a bit. Or think of whatever pet sin you have, your weakness that you promise God never to do again as you joyfully leave the communion rail only to find yourself falling again within the week because you’re weak. Any covenant with God that makes our relationship with Him dependent on us does not work. So give it up. Drop the old for the new. Reject those ways of thinking that have you earning or deserving blessings from God. The old doesn’t work. It didn’t work for Israel. It doesn’t work for us. That’s the weakness of the sinful nature.
Thankfully God Himself came up with a new covenant. Thankfully the new is better. Listen to how the Lord describes it. “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Did you notice anything about this covenant God announces? It’s one sided. He does all the work. “I will. I will. I will,” says the Lord. It can’t fail when it’s only God dependent. And what does He promise to do? Put His law on our hearts and minds. He’s talking about how the new creation part of us knows His will and wants to do it. And did you catch the last part of the deal? “I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more.” You know all of those sins that you remember and are bothered about? God has already forgotten them! How can He do that?
Jesus. You can’t talk forgiveness without talking Jesus. God doesn’t. Neither can we. When God talks forgiveness in Old Testament times it’s because He promised to send a Savior. In New Testament times we know all the details from the birth in Bethlehem to the death on the cross. Jesus comes as our substitute. He perfectly obeys because we can’t. He pays for our sins so we don’t have to. Instead of requiring people to live a life they cannot like the old covenant did the new one that centers on Jesus allows people to freely receive forgiveness of sins and the Lord who knows all and sees all binds Himself to forget! The new covenant frees God’s people to obey Him because they want to, not because they have to. I can’t help but reminded of two recent conversations I had with members. One was with a man who was diligently studying the Old Testament. He commented on all the laws. He said, “Wow. I don’t think I could possibly keep all of those laws.” I said, “That’s the point. That’s what you were supposed to find out. You couldn’t keep them. You needed a Savior.” Another was with a member whose friend had grown up in a Christian church. This friend was now considering switching to the Jewish faith with his son. Our members comment to his friend? “So let me get this straight. You are planning on going from a religion that has a Savior to one that does not. Why would you want to do that?” Why indeed. Why hang on to the old when the new is better?
Why hang on the old when the new is given to you by God Himself? Think of how this worked in history. God the Father Himself planned and promised this New Covenant. God the Son Himself put the new covenant into effect, signed and sealed with His blood. God the Holy Spirit Himself delivers this new covenant through the Gospel message proclaimed, drops of water applied and Holy Communion celebrated. Why hold on to the old when the new is given by God? Sadly it happens. It happens blatantly among the Jewish people today who reject Jesus as Messiah and still live vainly trying to keep the Old Covenant. It happens with all the pagan religions that prop up a made up god that they try to appease by what they do. It happens with us whenever we try to make the things we do or how we live a cause or reason for God forgiving us, choosing us, blessing us. Drop the old for the new because the old does not work, the new is better and it was given to us by God.
And if you can imagine it, that brings me right back to my old shirt. Why do I like it so? Well it could be that it finally smells good having been worn a few times by me. But I can do that to any shirt. It could be that it is comfortable. But any worn shirt feels comfortable. It’s really because of the message. What a good reason for us to hold on to the New Covenant, right? It’s message. God says, “I love you. I forgive you. Now let me help you get better.” Thank you, God. Thank you Jesus! Amen.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

March 18th Worship Service



Numbers 21:4-9 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea,[a] to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived. Numbers 21:4-9 God Can’t Stand Grumbling! I. Grumbling Poisons God’s People. II. Only God Can Supply The Cure. In the name of Jesus, the One and Only, dear fellow children of God The Bible has this warning concerning the things that happened to God’s Old Testament people. “Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did…. We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” Sometimes God’s warnings are quiet and subtle. Think of Jesus warning Judas in the upper room and in the Garden of Gethsemane. At other times, God’s warning stand out like tornado sirens. This warning in God’s Word today is a tornado siren. God can’t stand grumbling. As the sirens wail in God’s word today let’s see that Grumbling poisons God’s people. II Only God provides the cure. It only makes sense that the Book of Numbers centers around numbers- numbers counted when the Children of Israel left Egypt and numbers taken after the 40 years of wandering in the desert. The numbers show how good God is at keeping His promises. He preserved Abraham’s family through 40 years in the desert. When the Children of Israel left Egypt the census read just over 600,000 men. Remember that the Children of Israel didn’t go right into the Promised Land because they doubted if God would help them so God let them wonder in the desert until all the adults who doubted God’s power had died. You might expect that after 40 years in the desert the population would have just dwindled away but in the second census, there were again just over 600,000 men in addition to women and children. That’s makes for a total of about 2 miillion Israelites ready to move into the Promised Land and find a place to settle down. They just needed to take the shortcut across Edom and then into the Promised Land. But the King of Edom would not let them cross. Bitterly disappointed the camp of 2 million people turned around and took the long way around. When things didn’t go the way that they wanted, Satan used the opportunity to stir up some grumbling- grumbling that would poison God’s people. “They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea,[a] to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses. Except for the occasional quail night, the Israelites had only one thing on their menu for 40 years. So on this day they fixed some grumble soup. “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” Can you imagine going into a restaurant and seeing only one thing on the menu- or imagine eating the same food for breakfast, lunch and supper? We can understand why the Israelites might grumble after years and years of the same food. That’s the scary part. We can sympathize with the Israelites telling their loving creator that He didn’t know what he was doing even though he had provided for this camp of 2 million mouths in the desert for 40 years. We can understand how the Israelites could think that they knew better about what they should be eating than the God who carefully designed and knit their bodies together. Want to know something even scarier? We haven’t wandered in the desert for 40 years eating mostly a food with the name translated ‘what is it?” We can stare into full cupboards and say, “there’s nothing to eat.” We don’t have to to be diverted at the last moment out in the desert to complain. We can complain when God has us waiting in line too long at the checkout counter. Even though a policeman will never pull you over and slap the cuffs on you for grumbling and you won’t receive a sentence in a human court for complaining. God can’t stand grumbling. Again and again Exodus and Numbers God says, “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.” Grumbling is one of those sins brings out into the open what’s on our insides. I can remember cleaning my room by shoveling everything under the bed. It worked for a while until mom looked under the bed. Grumbling might seem harmless but it shows what is under the bed. It shows the discontented heart that is never happy. Our grumbling words tell the world that we think God isn’t providing for us. It shows the me o centric world we live in- where the world revolves around me. It gives a nasty mouths to our sinful hearts. It shows how my little mind question if God really has a good reason for having me wait a few moments in traffic or in the check line. Grumbling puts my sinful fist into God’s face. We better not be falling back on the old excuse, “Well that’s just the way I am.” That’s right. We’re grumblers and God can’t stand grumbling. If there is any doubt if God takes grumbling seriously, just look at God’s response to the grumbling of his people. “Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.” Besides “Jesus Loves Me” I think one of the first songs I learned as a child was the Mr. Yuck song explaining the Mr. Yuck stickers. “Mr. Yuck is mean. Mr. Yuck is green.” Grumbling hearts and words should be marked with the green frowning face. Grumbling brought poison to God’s people out there in the desert. Grumbling brings poison to God’s people today. Not only does the grumbler rob himself of the content and joyful life his creator intended for him but the grumbler also ruins the day of everyone else by poisoning the environment in the home or at work or at church. “Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.” Grumbing is contagious. How often doesn’t a grumble ruin another person’s day that ruins another person’s day? Does a grumble ever help anyone? God makes that clear to us in His Law and God made that clear to the Israelites in the desert. The truth is it hurts everyone. “The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” An antidote for the poison was needed. In Central Park in New York there is a statue of a sled dog named Balto. Balto was the lead dog on the relay team of 150 dogs and 20 mushers that brought the diphtheria serum 674 miles through the snow from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska in 1925 when the town was almost wiped out. The bronze dog statue pointed back to a rescue. The bronze snake statue pointed ahead to a rescue. It was a rescue where only God could provide the cure. “So Moses prayed for the people. The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.” A snake on a pole bringing life seems strange to us but Jesus helps us in our Gospel lesson. Jesus explained the snake on the pole for us Remember that during their talk Jesus reminded Nicodemus of this time when the Lord sent poisonous snakes through the camp and many of the people were bitten. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” The bronze snake wasn’t meant to God told Moses to make a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Anyone who looked at the snake was healed. That bronze snake lifted up on a pole foreshadowed the work which Jesus would do for us. God’s Son would grow up to do something we could never do- keep God’s commandments. He kept them for us-in our place. God’s Son would be lifted up on a cross bleeding and dying to wash away our sins. Our complaining our murmuring has all been paid for. That great news moves us to do what God says, “Do everything without complaining or arguing” and “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” Luther once explained about how earthly peace and spiritual peace are different. The peace the world gives seeks to get rid of the thing causing the problem like war, sickness etc. But true spiritual peace comes not from having the problem removed but by having Christ who brings peace even when the troubles remain around us. Our Jesus who loves us and gave His life for us gives us true peace. His love gives us the backbone to not feast on grumble soup when we’ve got the grumblin’ gang all around us. His love shown at the cross reminds us of his care even when it appears to our human eyes that he doesn’t. His words drive the things we say even when the stress is on. Do you find yourself grumbling more and more lately? Hear God’s sirens of warning. God can’t stand grumbling. Look to the cross where God brought the cure. Amen

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Wednesday March 21, 2012 sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert on John 17:1-5

March 21, 2012 - Wednesday Lent Service by Pastor Paul G. Eckert
Sermon text - John 17:1-5
1 After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
"Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."
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"Glory be to Jesus!" We just sang that. But did we see or hear about glory in our Scripture reading at the lectern? A criminal named Barabbas was chosen ahead of an innocent Jesus. That doesn’t sound glorious. Jesus was flogged, a crown of thorns was pressed on His head, His head was struck, He was spit on, He was too weak to keep on carrying a cross, He was mocked, He was crucified with robbers on either side of Him. "Glory be to Jesus?" Far from it!
All of what we have just recounted led to Jesus’ crucifixion, to the theme of our Wednesday services: See His Cross! Now how does that fit in with today’s sermon theme, "Glory Be To Jesus!"?
GLORY BE TO JESUS!
I THAT GLORY ALWAYS WAS HIS (1a,5)
1. Jesus here claimed glory from eternity. (1a,5)
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. --- And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."
a) George Washington - what glory did he have before he was
born in 1732? What glory did we have before we were born?
b) Jesus here claimed to have glory before He was born on this
earth.
2. Listen also to these striking words in John 1:14,1-4.
The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have
seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from
the Father, full of grace and truth. --- In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He
was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
a) Jesus who became flesh in Bethlehem was before that.
b) He was fully involved from before the world began.
3. Listen also to this section from Colossians 1:15-20.
[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
a) Here again is reference to Jesus’ eternal involvement.
b) And then there also is reference to His earthly involvement
when it speaks of His blood shed on the cross.
4. And now the time had come for that. (1a,5)
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. --- And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."
a) At God’s right time Jesus came to this earth.
b) At God’s right time He would reclaim His eternal glory.
c) But that would be after He finished His earthly assignment.
II THAT GLORY JESUS HAD SET ASIDE (4)
1. Jesus set it aside because He had work to do. (4)
"I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do."
a) That work was to save the world from its sins.
b) While doing that, some flashes of His glory were seen - in His
miracles certainly, and by some in His Transfiguration.
2. But apart from that He really did not look glorious.
a) Listen to this description in Isaiah 52:14, 53:2b-3.
There were many who were appalled at him - his appearance was
so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness - . He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
b) And listen to these words from Philippians 2:6-8.
[Jesus] being in the very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross!
3. Yes, Jesus deliberately set aside the glory that was His.
a) Not only was this foretold.
b) It all happened exactly as foretold.
4. And it was clearly evident on the cross.
a) Hear the agonized cry, "My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?" No glory there!
b) We know why. It was because of our sins.
c) Could "glory be to Jesus" come from this horror? III THAT GLORY WAS REVEALED (1, 4, 5)
1. The time had come for this. (1)
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you."
a) God so loved the world that He had sent His Son.
b) The time had come to claim the victory, to reclaim the Son’s
glory, and to glorify the Father whose plan was fulfilled.
2. Jesus had completed the work God gave Him. (4)
"I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do."
a) "It is finished!" Our sins paid for! This was a victory cry!
b) And so was "Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit."
No longer forsaken, but victorious!
3. And "Glory be to Jesus" would soon be evident. (5)
"And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I
had with you before the world began."
a) On the third day Jesus arose with His glorified body.
b) Then listen to this description of Jesus’ glory in Philippians
2:9-11. Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Yes, "glory be to Jesus!"
IV THAT GLORY GIVES US GLORY TOO (2-3)
1. We had no glory of our own.
a) Sinners is what we were and are from birth on.
b) The opposite of glory is all that we could expect.
2. But Jesus had come to give us glory. (2-3)
"For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."
a) We know God. We know His Son who died for us. We have
been brought to faith by the Spirit through the Word. We
have the promise of eternal life in glory.
b) And that eternal life in glory includes glorified bodies, as we
are promised in Philippians 3:20-21. "Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."
3. This glory Jesus wants for others besides us too.
a) A little farther on in His prayer Jesus said, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you." (John 17:20)
b) Do you see what Jesus wants us to do? He wants us to share
the message of eternal glory with others.
4. Glory be to Jesus!
a) For us He died! - We are forgiven!
b) For us He was victorious! - Rejoice!
c) Because of Him we too shall be glorified! - "Glory Be To
Jesus!"

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

March 11/12, 2012 sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert

Lent 3, March 11/12, 2012 sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert
Sermon text Exodus 20:1-17
1 And God spoke all these words:
2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 "You shall have no other gods before me.
4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.
13 "You shall not murder.
14 "You shall not commit adultery. 15 "You shall not steal.
16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
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SEE THE CROSS! is the theme for our six Wednesday Lenten services. Let us always continue to SEE THE CROSS. But for this service let us also move on from seeing to going and, considering the ten commandments, let us make the theme GO TO THE CROSS! As we do that we’ll try to bring in some events of the passion season.
GO TO THE CROSS!
COMMANDMENT 1
1. What God demands. (1-6) And God spoke all these words: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."
a) God describes Himself here as their God who delivered them.
b) But He also is their just God who won’t tolerate substitutions.
2. See how Jesus fulfilled this.
a) When Jesus began His public ministry the devil tempted Him
to put the devil, physical things like earthly kingdoms and
possessions, ahead of God and God’s will.
b) But remember Jesus’ words, "Away from me, Satan! For it
is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only."
And remember His Gethsemane prayer that God’s will be done. 3. What must we confess?
a) Do we truly acknowledge that there is but one God, the saving
and just God who has revealed Himself as Father and Son and
Holy Spirit? And do we give Him and His will first place in our
lives - not just once in a while but always?
b) Or do we often want our wills to be done and listen to Satan
who tells us to put many things ahead of God, things like TV
and money and pleasure and recreation and use of time, things
that push God out of our lives and out of our scheduling?
4. Go to the cross with your sins.
a) There Jesus kept the first commandment, did not forsake God.
b) But there the unthinkable also took place. God forsook Him.
Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken
me?" And you and I, our sins, are the answer!
5. Come back from the cross with forgiveness.
a) Yes, in true penitence take all of your sins to the cross.
b) There hear your Substitute say, "Father, forgive them."
COMMANDMENT 2
1. What God demands. (7) "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name."
a) Did God give His name, His Son’s name, to be used in
so-called swearing or cussing, or as filler words heard only too
often on TV and on the streets and at work?
b) Use God’s names for prayer and praise and proclamation. But
misuse them and God will hold guilty all who misuse His name.
2. See how Jesus fulfilled this.
a) "My God" is often misused by people who without even
realizing it thoughtlessly come up with the OMG expression.
b) Jesus on the cross used "My God" correctly in prayer.
3. What must we confess?
a) How often has the misuse of God’s name come from our lips?
b) How often has the correct use of God’s name in prayer failed
to come from our lips?
4. Go to the cross with your sins.
a) Go there to Jesus. He was there because of our sins.
b) There He died, paid the wages of our sins.
5. Come back from the cross with forgiveness.
a) Hear again His words on the cross, "Father, forgive them."
b) Then in penitent prayer say: "Thank You, O my God."
COMMANDMENT 3
1. What God demands. (8-11) "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
a) Do you see the connection between the 2nd and the 3rd
commandments?
b) Don’t misuse God’s name. Instead use it for worship and
prayer and praise. Set aside time, prioritize time to do that.
2. See how Jesus fulfilled this.
a) The 7th day is no longer a requirement. Jesus fulfilled the
purpose of that OT ceremonial law, as He also fulfilled the
purpose of the OT sacrifices. The resting on the 7th day was a
pointer to the real rest to come through Jesus who said, "Come
to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give
you rest." The foreshadowing of a specific day has passed.
b) But using time to worship the Lord has not passed away.
3. What must we confess?
a) Whether it is Sunday, Monday, Wednesday or whenever, do
we plan to set aside time for regular worship and praise?
b) Do we plan to pray daily, regularly?
4. Go to the cross with your sins.
a) Not only is God’s name often misused. It often is either not
used at all, or it is used in a meaningless and thoughtless way.
b) Penitently go to the cross. Jesus died also for those sins.
5. Come back from the cross with forgiveness.
a) Yes, Jesus gives rest for our souls for these sins too.
b) Believe that, and do use God’s name in worship and prayer.
COMMANDMENT 4
1. What God demands. (12) "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you."
a) Here God says He wants the family, parents and children, to be
protected and blessed.
b) He even attaches a special blessing to this commandment.
2. See how Jesus fulfilled this.
a) We could not, but as a child Jesus lived a perfect life.
b) Think of how He did that also on the cross. There He said to
His disciple John, "Here is your mother" and to Mary, "Here
is your son." Jesus honored her, wanted her taken care of.
3. What must we confess?
a) As children we often think we are right and parents are wrong.
b) But honesty has to make us recognize our shortcomings.
4. Go to the cross with your sins.
a) Yes, go to your parents with honoring now.
b) But go to the cross with your sins and look to Jesus’ sacrifice.
5. Come back from the cross with forgiveness.
a) Jesus once said, "Let the little children come to me."
b) We children, whatever our age, there hear of forgiveness.
COMMANDMENT 5
1. What God demands. (13) "You shall not murder."
a) Life is a gift of God and is to end only by God’s direct doing
or by those God has authorized for that.
b) Apart from that, we are not to kill a fellow human being.
2. See how Jesus fulfilled this.
a) Jesus Himself was the victim of murder. A government may
execute the guilty, but it has no right to kill the innocent.
b) Yet He who came to harm no one, but to save and give eternal
life, after sham trials was condemned and crucified, murdered. 3. What must we confess?
a) The killing by criminals, the murder of unborn children, the
many voices demanding a right to do that - that’s the world.
b) But let us also remember that murder starts in the heart with
hatred and anger - and who here can claim innocence?
4. Go to the cross with your sins.
a) You may not be able to undo some things you have done.
b) But go to the cross with your sins.
5. Come back from the cross with forgiveness.
a) Murder by deed or by thought, Jesus hung there for it.
b) Jesus can and does undo our wrongs with forgiveness.
COMMANDMENT 6
1. What God demands. (14) "You shall not commit adultery."
a) In the 4th commandment God clearly speaks of the family, and
here reminds us that by His creation order marriage belongs
between a man and a woman in a commitment of faithfulness.
b) What God established the world mocks as out-dated as more
and more states redefine marriage and as many try to establish
as good what God calls perversion. .
2. See how Jesus fulfilled this.
a) He saw how Mary and Joseph honored marriage.
b) And He used marriage to picture something wonderful about
Himself as a groom. Think of these words from Ephesians 5:
"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the
church and gave himself up for her to make her holy."
3. What must we confess?
a) Has there been open adultery, physical breaking of God’s will?
b) Has there been lusting, or adultery in the heart?
4. Go to the cross with your sins.
a) The world may well insist on wrong being right and not a sin.
b) But where we have sinned, let us repent and go to the cross.
5. Come back from the cross with forgiveness.
a) Remember, Christ died to make us sinners holy.
b) Let thankfulness move us to want to always honor marriage.
COMMANDMENT 7
1. What God demands. (15) "You shall not steal."
a) This surely is not hard to understand.
b) What belongs to others is not to be taken by us.
2. See how Jesus fulfilled this.
a) Jesus did take something that wasn’t His: He took our sins!
b) And look at what He gave us - Himself, His death!
3. What must we confess?
a) Maybe we weren’t like Jesus’ betrayer, Judas, who stole from
their treasury. But what of a little shoplifting, snitching?
b) And since all we have is a gift of God to be used to His glory,
how much have we stolen from God by withholding offerings?
4. Go to the cross with your sins.
a) Remember the thief on the cross? He turned to Jesus.
b) Whatever our sins, turn to Jesus too.
5. Come back from the cross with forgiveness.
a) Jesus promised the thief on the cross Paradise.
b) In His grace He promises that also to you and to me.
COMMANDMENT 8
1. What God demands. (16) "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor."
a) You don’t like somebody? How easy it is to lie about him.
b) Slander, gossip, spreading what we shouldn’t - guilty? Yes.
2. See how Jesus fulfilled this.
a) Many slandered Him, brought false witness against Him.
b) He took that for you and me.
3. What must we confess?
a) We may not have hurt anyone with our fists.
b) But how often have we hurt others with our tongues?
4. Go to the cross with your sins.
a) Sad to say often the tongue’s damage cannot be undone.
b) But our gracious Savior has done something to undo our guilt.
5. Come back from the cross with forgiveness.
a) Jesus died for the sins also of our tongues.
b) Penitently and thankfully take His forgiveness from the cross.
COMMANDMENTS 9 and 10
1. What God demands. (17) "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
a) These commandments make it clear that sin starts in the heart.
b) Not only stealing but also some wanting can be wrong; not
only murdering but also anger and hatred are wrong.
2. See how Jesus fulfilled this.
a) Nobody could convict Him of sin, outward or inward.
b) When Jesus was sacrificed, it was a spotless, innocent death.
3. What must we confess?
a) We are far from spotless and innocent.
b) We need to look no farther than into our hearts.
4. Go to the cross with your sins.
a) Sins of the heart, sins of the tongue, sins whatever.
b) Lay them on Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God.
5. Come back from the cross with forgiveness.
a) If you had only the 10 commandments, you would be lost.
b) But you have the Savior who perfectly kept those
commandments for you, paid for your transgressions, and gives
you His righteousness!
Now, having gone to the cross and coming back from the cross, let us as Christians go into our daily lives not to sin, not to disregard God’s holy will, but to thank and glorify God by striving with His Spirit’s strengthening to keep and not break His commandments. And never forget to GO TO THE CROSS!

Monday, March 5, 2012

LENT 2

March 4/5, 2012

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Genesis 28:10-17

“WHEN YOU’VE MADE YOUR OWN BED…”

1. You may have to lie in it.

2. God’s grace still covers you.

3. You won’t be alone.

Genesis 28:10-17 (NIV1984)Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” 16 When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”

“You made your bed, now you’ve got to lie in it.” I don’t know if the etymology of that phrase comes from this account of Jacob but it sure could have. “You made your bed now you’ve got to lie in it,” is what is said when someone’s words or actions have set in motion a consequence that is uncomfortable for them and boy does that fit Jacob to a T! Let me explain. If you recall, Jacob was one of the two sons of Isaac and Rebekah, twin sons. Rebekah favored Jacob. Isaac favored Esau. When Isaac was going to give the birthright that God said should go to Jacob to Esau, Rebekah and Jacob hatched a plot to “help God out.” You know this is going to end badly. It involved deceiving Isaac and cheating Esau. Great plan! When all is said and done, no one is happy and Esau is nursing a grudge, such a strong grudge it includes plans to kill Jacob as soon as daddy Isaac dies. So Rebekah and Jacob come up with another plan. Run away. Jacob will run away to Haran where Rebekah’s family still lives.

So Jacob did. He ran away from Esau, stopped for the night, lay down to sleep on the bed of the ground with a stone for a pillow. Someone could rightly have come to Jacob and said, “You made your bed. Now you’ve got to lie in it.” Jacob’s predicament was his own fault. But the rock hard pillow wasn’t the worst of what he would face. He would find out when he got to Rebekah’s family that Uncle Laban was a schnook, cheating and deceiving Jacob. What goes around comes around and it wasn’t so much fun when the shoe was on the other foot. His family was fractured. Jacob would live about 20 years away from them. Later he would face a fearful reunion with Esau after Jacob ran away from Laban. Are we seeing a pattern here? Jacob made his bed and he had to lie in it. He had to face earthly consequences for his sins.

Sometimes that happens with us too. Praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that there are not earthly consequences for every sin we do. But there are some. Guilt and fear over certain sins being exposed. Some sins have civil consequences like jail time or fines. Sins of the mouth can damage relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, friends and schoolmates. Some sins end marriages. Lies can make you lose jobs and credibility. Sexual sinning can bring physical diseases that last a lifetime, a not so subtle reminder that God means what He says about sex reserved for marriage of one man and one woman. Brothers and sisters, sometimes when you make your bed you do have to lie in it.

Do you find yourself lying in one of those beds today? Do you waver back and forth between wanting to kick yourself (why did I do that?) and wanting to kick someone else (it’s not my fault) in your frustration and hurt? Don’t give up. Don’t despair. There is hope and help. Jacob’s story goes on. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it stood the LORD, and he said: “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Let’s get this straight. Jacob has made his own bed. He lied. He deceived. And he gets a special dream from the Lord? What gives? And look at the content. It’s all blessing. It’s an announcement of Gospel promises of physical blessings of land and descendants and the Savior, Jesus, to come from Jacob’s line. The One through Whom all the world would be blessed. Why does Jacob get that? He didn’t deserve it. It’s grace my friends. God’s undeserved love. One of the reasons God has included this awesome story has to be to highlight God’s ongoing grace in the face of man’s continual sinning. Even though Jacob sinned and deserved every hardship he was enduring, God’s grace covered him.

Brothers and sisters, do you see from this how we are living the dream? We are living Jacob’s dream. Because God’s grace covers us too! We don’t deserve God’s physical blessings. Like Jacob we deserve punishment for our sins. Instead God’s grace covers us. He doesn’t give us the punishment we deserve and He does give us blessings we have not earned. Remember that when you are enduring some earthly consequences of sins. God’s grace still covers you. You are not getting the punishment you deserve. You are not suffering Hell. Jesus took that for you. God will still be gracious to you. He will still give you blessings you don’t deserve. Oftentimes though it seems we care more about getting out of earthly consequences than we do about being freed from the eternal consequence of sin in Hell. We’re just like our kids. You know. They do something wrong. They get caught. They cry. They say they are sorry. Then they wonder why they still get a spanking or timeout when they have said they are sorry. They don’t understand that the consequence helps them learn. When, in God’s wisdom, there is an earthly consequence for your sin remember that God’s grace still covers you and try to value the forgiveness Jesus gives you more than escape from an earthly consequence.

But even there God is gracious to us and with those earthly consequences we bring on ourselves God is with us. Jacob discovered that. “When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” 17 He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.” Jacob understood what God had done for him. God was with him now and God would be with him wherever he would go. He would be with him on the journey. He would be with him while dealing with Uncle Laban. He would be with him when he faced Esau. Jacob had made his bed. The results would not always be easy or pleasant but the Lord would be with him.

The Lord is with you too, no matter what you are going through or will go through. Sin has consequences. If you’ve made your bed and found yourself lying in it the Lord is with you and will help you. If a consequence is less money right now the Lord will still provide. If the consequence is a ruined relationship with others the Lord maintains His relationship with you through forgiveness in Jesus. Even if the consequence is jail time there too the Lord will be with you.

And another good thing. Earthly consequences don’t last forever. Jacob found that out. It took twenty years for him to return to his family. But when he did he found a forgiving Esau. People aren’t like God. Often they need time to get over sin and hurt. But it worked out. And it worked out even better for Jacob. When God’s time was right he was carried up that stairway to heaven where there is no sin, no consequences but a Savior to serve forever. That’s waiting for you and me too. Earthly consequences for sin will not last forever. But the glory and joy of heaven will. Jesus has made a bed that we will get to lie in. He has prepared a place for us too. How awesome to have the same God Jacob does, the God who works on the basis of grace and mercy and because of Jesus does not treat us as our sins deserve. Amen.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

February 26th Worship

Genesis 22:1-18 WHAT IS GOD DOING? I. Pulling you Closer. II. Pointing you to the Substitute. 1Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 2Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." 3Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you." 6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?" "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" 8Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together. 9When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 12"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." 13Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." 15The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD , that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." In the name of Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, dear Christian Friends, Things were going well for Abraham. A peace treaty had just been worked out with some pesky neighbors. No more problems for the servants out on the back 40. Abraham was a mature father- well into his 100’s Sarah was 90 when the baby was born but that boy named Isaac or laughter had brought much joy to the house. God had kept his promise. Abraham and Sarah had a son. Everything seemed to be going well. Now a thunderbolt comes out of the blue. “Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” The Hebrew word translated here as "burnt offering" is Olah. An Olah offering is one you burn up completely to show your whole-hearted devotion to the Lord. When we hear the Lord’s words we wonder, “what will Abraham do?” What to do doesn’t seem to be the question on Abraham’s mind though. Immediately Abraham starts gets ready to do what God asked. “Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.” What to do doesn’t seem to have been on Abraham’s mind, but I wonder if another question was on Abraham’s heart, “What was God doing?” We might wonder that same thing because sometimes we wonder about that in our lives when things happen that we don’t understand. Now I can’t pretend to know the mind of God and all the good things God was working out for good here for Abraham, but maybe we can think of a few things God was doing. I won’t pretend to know all of the good things God has in mind for you when things happen that you don’t understand but let’s try to see that the Lord is I. Pulling you closer and II. Pointing you to the Substitute. Moriah was the area of Israel where Jerusalem would one day stand and Mt. Moriah was were Solomon built the temple. It was about a 3 day journey from where Abraham and Isaac were living. So there would be time to think as they walked along. As Abraham’s heart was aching there would be time to think through the truths of God and His promises. Scripture gives us a look into one of the truths Abraham was settling his heart on. The Book of Hebrews says, “By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.” So you see Abraham was reviewing the promises of the Lord. God was pulling him closer. As Abraham mulled the truths that God is all power and is even stronger than death, he was thinking that if he sacrificed Isaac on the altar, that God the Lord of life would resurrect him from the dead. As we read on we hear that Abraham had a chance to exercise and to show his faith in God’s promises as the time arrives for Abraham and Isaac to separate from the servants. “On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you." Do you hear that? We will come back to you-not I will come back to you. Abraham didn’t know how but he knew God would take keep his promise. God was pulling Abraham closer. As they walked along Abraham also had a chance to run through his mind God’s promises that He would provide. God was giving strength to Abraham’s legs and to his heart. Abraham had a chance again to show his faith when Isaac saw that the wood was there for making the sacrifice but there was no sacrifice. “Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." God was pulling Abraham closer. Did you hear the words earlier “God tested Abraham?” When teachers give tests, are they trying to make life difficult for their students? No, they care about their students and want to find out what they know and what needs to be taught differently or again. If that is true of earthly teachers, how much more isn’t it true of our great God and Father in heaven. James says that when God tests his children he has in mind to bless them. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” This week a member of the flying Wallenda family secured permission to tight rope walk across Niagara Falls. Apparently he has been tight rope walking since he was 2 years old. He will be the first person to ever cross directly over the falls. Past attempts took place further down the gorge. He says he will be “walking through the mist thrown off by the falls." Someone seeing him walking across the tightrope might ask “What is that guy doing?” It is actually very well choreographed in everything from the thickness of the wire right down to the suede wire-walking shoes which actually grip better when wet. Someone coming onto the scene on Mt. Moriah seeing Abraham with the knife raised might wonder what was Abraham doing? Or might What was God doing? Or looking around our lives this morning we might ask, “What Is God doing?” Have you been wondering what God is doing in your life lately? While God certainly doesn’t want evil to happen in anyone’s life, when bad things come our way in life God is strong and smart enough to choreograph everything. There is a safety net. God’s Word says, “When you are tempted God will always provide a way out.” Nothing happens without God’s permission. Remember Job? God limited Satan in what how he was able to tempt Job. Like the tight walker’s shoes grip tighter when it’s wet so God draws us closer to him – holds us tighter when troubles come. Difficult and challenging times give us a chance to paint God’s promises on our hearts. Abraham and Sarah had waited so long for a child. It would have been so easy for Abraham to put Isaac #1 in his life and moved his relationship with God somewhere down the list. When everything is going well for us in our lives it is easy for us to talk about trusting God’s promises. When things are going well at home, when we have money in the bank it's easy to talk about trusting in God's goodness and his promises. But what if God takes those things away from us? What if he asks us to give up the earthly things that hold near and dear? What would we do? This account of Abraham and Isaac is very difficult to listen to because I know that I would not do very well on a test like and maybe you do too. We question God’s ways when it comes to little things that go wrong in our lives. We question God’s love for us when things don’t go the way that we would like. During Lent the readings here in church are set up so that we hear about the events of Holy Week and Jesus’ sufferings and death on Wednesdays in the Midweek services. On Sunday we don’t use the Passion readings because the Sunday readings are set up to bring to mind Christ’s victories for us in His ministry. Did you notice Christ’s victory for us in the Gospel Lesson today as Jesus’ won the victory over the devil and his temptations in the wilderness. If this account ended right here it would not bring to mind a victory for me. If the account ended here we would be left to compare ourselves to the Abraham and I would fall far short and would imagine that you would too. And Abraham is not the standard God demands. God says, “Be perfect therefore as your Father in heaven in perfect.” Abraham was far from perfect in his trust in the Lord. That’s why what happened next is so important for us. What is God doing? II. Pointing us to the Substitute. When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." Abraham never did put that knife into Isaac's heart. The Lord stopped him and directed him the the bushes. Now usually when we talk about something getting caught in the bushes, it not a very good thing. Maybe you’ve had the experience of getting caught in the thorn bush. But can you imagine how happy Abraham was when the Lord called to him, told him not to harm his son and then to look in the bushes where the ram was caught for the burnt offering. Many years later Jesus told us about how Abraham felt when he saw the one the ram in the bushes was pointing his eyes to. Jesus said, “Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad” The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD , that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." The angel of the Lord is one of the ways the Old Testament talks about Jesus before He took on flesh and blood. We know this is no ordinary angel talking but is God Himself because He says the first time He spoke, “you have not withheld from me.” And in the formal language of the covenant agreement God was renewing with Abraham God swears by Himself.” In that one sided covenant where God would do all the work, the Lord comes again with the promises of his mercy. Abraham’s family would soon be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Already at the time the children of Israel left Egypt it is thought they numbered into the millions. Abraham’s descendants would not live in tents like their wandering ancestor Abraham. The Lord would give the children of Israel a home in the land of Palestine to await the birth of the Savior of the world who would come from Abraham’s family. “All nations on earth would be blessed through Abraham” because that promised Savior would perfectly live His life as a Substitute for you and me and the world. He never told a lie or even a half truth because he was afraid. He never thought that God wasn’t working fast enough. He never doubted God’s plans for His life. According to the plan for His life, Jesus would now present Himself as the lamb who would offer Hi s life in payment for the sins of the world. Through Isaac who was spared and the Lamb who took his place, God points you to that substitute. Some of you may know Pastor Greg Schultz. In his book, The Problem of Suffering Pastor Schultz writes that on God’s test there is only one question. It is a true false question. God loves you- true or false. Of course the answer is true but sometimes it seems like it is false. Times when we might ask, “what is God doing?” He is pulling you closer and pointing you to the Substitute. Amen

Thursday, March 1, 2012

February 29, 2012 Wednesday sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert

February 29, 2012 Wednesday Lenten Sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert.
Sermon text - John 18:19-24
18:19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
20 "I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret.
21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said."
22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" he demanded.
23 "If I said something wrong," Jesus replied, "testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?"
24 Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.
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Our Wednesday Lenten series’ theme is "SEE THE CROSS!" That’s not hard to do. Look up to the front chancel wall over the altar. You can see a large cross there. It goes back to 1979 when this church building was dedicated. You can see a small cross on the altar, a gold cross with Jesus pictured on it. That, with the candles, goes back to our old church on Forest Home and Mitchell. I know that was there in the 1950s already, and it could well go back many years before that. We can see crosses elsewhere in our church, like on the front banners, or in our school, and in our homes.
So it is easy to see a cross. But is it really seen? Or is its meaning a secret? Let’s look at today’s sermon theme about the cross.
IT’S NO SECRET!
I BUT FIRST WE ASK: IS IT A SECRET?
1. A cross itself is not a secret.
a) You can often see a cross as a decoration on a wall or a piece
of furniture as referred to before, or as a piece of jewelry,
perhaps on a suit lapel or on a woman’s necklace.
b) But it was not always seen as good. Historically it was seen
as a torture instrument on which people died agonizing deaths.
2. But the cross’s real meaning is a secret.
a) How many looking up at Jesus on the cross saw its real
meaning, understood what was taking place there?
b) Scripture’s answer in 1 Corinthians 1:18 is: "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing." And in
the next chapter it says the rulers did not understand, "for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."
3. And it is a secret to us too.
a) These words from 1 Corinthians 2 apply also to us: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."
b) Our little human minds would never come up with God’s plan
involving a cross to save a lost world.
c) So is the cross a secret, a mystery? Yes. But also No.
II IT’S NO SECRET! LISTEN TO OT SCRIPTURE.
1. Scripture starts with the record of the beginning.
a) In the beginning there was no need for a cross, no need for
a saving sacrifice on a cross.
b) When God completed His creating work, including mankind,
"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." No need!
2. But that beginning did not stay good.
a) After God’s creation of a perfect world that included perfect
angels to carry out His will, there was a rebellion among the
angels, and sin entered the world under the leadership of a
fallen angel whom we know as the devil or Satan.
b) Then in the Garden of Eden he came to Eve and Adam and
tempted and persuaded them to join him and his crew in sin.
3. At that point God revealed what was secret.
a) He immediately revealed and promised that someone would
come, born of a woman, who would defeat the devil and be
the answer to our problem of sin.
b) And as the years went by God revealed more and more details
about this Savior: a virgin woman would be the mother; the
child would be born in Bethlehem; He would fulfill the
message of the many OT sacrifices showing that the blood of a
spotless death was needed to atone for sins; He would bear the
iniquity of all; His altar of death would be a tree, a cross; He
would be victorious; He would be our forgiveness, our Savior.
c) Yes, from the beginning the secret was revealed.
III IT’S NO SECRET! LISTEN TO JESUS.
1. Jesus had spoken openly. (19-20)
Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. "I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret."
a) For three years Jesus spoke publicly about why He had come
and who He was: that He was the Way and the Truth and the
Life; that He would die and that He would arise from the dead
victorious; and He proved His authority by many miracles.
b) He did that all around the country, out in the open, in their
synagogue meeting places, in the temple in Jerusalem.
2. Large crowds, many people heard Him. (20b-21)
"I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said."
a) We might think of crowds of over 4,000 and over 5,000 who
were fed by Jesus not only with food but with His message.
b) And those who arranged His arrest, here maneuvering Him
to death on a cross, they certainly had heard Him.
3. And surely Jesus is heard today.
a) Many may not believe in who He is and what He did.
b) That’s no different from Jesus’ time.
c) But not hear about Him? That’s not too likely.
IV IT’S NO SECRET! LISTEN TO NT SCRIPTURE.
1. The Gospels and Acts give the history.
a) The details are there, connecting the promises of the Old
Testament with the fulfillment of the New, connecting a Savior
promised with God’s Son come to be that Savior.
b) The Acts of the Apostles shows how sharing that message
began, starting from Jerusalem and spreading far and wide.
2. The Epistles, letters, show the revealed secret going out.
a) Paul had said, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."
Then he went on to say about this secret, "But God has revealed it to us by His Spirit."
b) That revealed secret Paul spread far and wide in his travels.
3. And listen to the last book of the Bible.
a) It begins with the words, "The revelation of Jesus Christ."
b) It pictures for us the wonderfulness of what God has waiting
for us, and ends with Jesus saying, "Yes, I am coming soon."
c) And His Church responds, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."
V IT’S NO SECRET! BUT IT IS REJECTED.
1. There is the rejection of denial on either side of our text.
a) Three times Peter rejected Jesus by denying he knew Jesus.
b) Our text is sandwiched between the first and the last two.
2. Here too we see Jesus and the truth rejected.(22-24)
When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" he demanded. "If I said something wrong," Jesus replied, "testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?" Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest.
a) I like Jesus’ response here. He did nothing to stop what He
knew had to take place. But I like how He spoke up here.
b) The response of Annas? Keep on pushing Jesus to the cross.
3. Rejection continues to this day.
a) Jesus may be very acceptable as a teacher or an example.
b) Or He is acceptable as one way of many to reach heaven.
c) But the truth that He is God’s only Way, that is rejected.
VI IT’S NO SECRET! BELIEVE AND REJOICE.
1. The world will call the cross foolishness. (1 Cor. 1:20ff.)
a) By itself the world can’t figure it out. Scripture says, "Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?"
b) Then Scripture goes on to say, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength."
2. Yes, Christ the crucified is God’s wisdom revealed.
a) There, on the cross, God placed on His innocent Son all of
our sins, made Him pay the wages of our sins.
b) Yes, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
3. In this we rejoice. (1 Cor. 1:30)
a) At the crucifixion Jesus’ enemies rejoiced.
b) But you would not want to be in their shoes now.
c) May we rejoice and join the Apostle Paul in saying, "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."
VII IT’S NO SECRET! KEEP IT AND SHARE IT.
1. It’s a revealed secret to keep.
a) It has been revealed to us.
b) Don’t let go of it. Be faithful. Glory in the cross of Christ!
2. It’s a revealed secret to share.
a) You may not want to share a cross necklace with others.
b) But please, use opportunities to share Jesus’ cross, its real
meaning, why He was crucified and what that means.
3. It’s a revealed secret that means life.
a) Today, February 29, is called Leap Day. Calendar makers
many years ago added that day every 4th year with some
exceptions.
b) God from eternity planned to give us not just an occasional
extra day, but to give us eternal days in glory.
c) SEE THE CROSS of Christ. IT’S NO SECRET! There
see God’s answer to sin. There see God’s love for you. There
see your Savior and eternal life!