Saturday, January 26, 2019

January 27th, 2019 Weekend Luke 4:14-21


Pastor Waldschmidt
Luke 4:14-21   Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area. 15He was teaching in their synagogues and being honored by everyone. 16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. As was his custom, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. 17The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, 19and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. 20He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 
The Service At the Synagogue
I.  The Savior was there.  II.  The Gospel was there.
III. Poor Sinners were there.  IV.  Faith and Joy were there.
In the name of Jesus our Savior, dear children of God,
     A man called the church office a few weeks ago to let us know that he was part of a historical society putting together an article on the houses of worship in Greenfield for their newsletter.  He said that he was somewhat familiar with St. Jacobi’s history because he had grown up on the south side of Milwaukee even though he had been born and baptized at St. Lucas in Kewaskum.  He said that a person would be surprised to see how many churches are all around us.  One of the things I’ve noticed when I drive on the high rise bridge and look out over the city of Milwaukee is how many steeples there are throughout the city.  Even though you and I might say that in general it seems like people are attending church less often now days, that sight of all the steeples gives the impression that going to church is a part of normal everyday life. 
     Throughout this church year season of Epiphany, God’s Word has shown us Jesus, the Savior doing normal ordinary things people do but in extraordinary ways for us.  On Epiphany we saw Jesus as a baby in a house with his mother, but being visited and worshipped by the wisemen, some unique visitors.  Then we saw Jesus on the banks of the Jordan with other people as John the Baptist was baptizing.  The Bible tells us, “As the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too.”  Last week we heard about Jesus going to a wedding, a normal thing people do. But at this wedding Jesus turned water into wine.  Now today we see Jesus going to church, a normal thing people do.  Let’s take a look at the Service At The Synagogue.  Let’s see I.  The Savior was there.  II.  The Gospel was there. III. Poor Sinners were there.
IV.  Faith and Joy were there.
     When I was a little boy, I remember playing the game “Memory.”  That’s the game with all of the cards turned upside down and spread out over the tabletop  or floor.  Then as each player turns over two of the cards you try to get a match.  If no match you turn them over again.  The trick is to try to remember where the cards were so that you can get the match.  Today in God’s Word we see Jesus playing memory in church.  Jesus turns over a “card” from the Old Testament and we get to see that it matches Jesus, the Messiah.  At that synagogue service, Jesus is there. 
      The Gospels record for us that after Jesus had been baptized and shown to all to be the promised Savior, he dove right into the work of being our Savior.  The went into the desert where he was tempted by the devil and he soundly defeated the devil there.  Then we hear more of Jesus work on our behalf, “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through all the surrounding area. 15He was teaching in their synagogues and being honored by everyone. 16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up.”  
     There are several nerve wracking experiences that a seminary student goes through. One is preaching for the Seminary chapel services in front of all the other students and professors. Another one is preaching in your home congregation.  Today we see the Savior there in his home congregation.  The Bible tells us, “As was his custom, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read.”  Did you catch that?  “As was his custom.”  It was a normal thing for Jesus to be gathered with others hearing God’s word every week.  Even when the most respected rabbis were teaching God’s Word, with Jesus sitting there it must have been like Albert Einstein sitting in on a 1st grade math lesson.  Jesus knew it all already.  The Word of God was His Word.  He whispered the words of Genesis into Moses’ ears.  The Good Shepherd told David the 23rd Psalm.  He knew it all backwards and forwards but he went anyway.  God says that he wants us to gather together to hear his word and encourage each other and here is Jesus that perfectly for us.  The Savior was there.
       Have we ever let the thought slip into our minds that we know it all already?   Church is just the same old same old.  Or thought to ourselves, “Church is full of hypocrites.”  If anyone knew it all already or could say the church is full of hypocrites, would it have been Jesus.  But yet we see going to gather with others to hear God’s Word was his regular custom.   I’ve caught myself thinking that if I watch church on TV or listen to it on the radio, that counts right?  That was before I became a pastor and had to be here every Sunday- had to be every Sunday.  Please don’t misunderstand me.  Internet and TV and radio broadcasts of church are great things when we can’t get to church.  And I love being a pastor being able to share God’s Word with you.  But all too often my sinful heart is revealed in the things I think and say and do.  I too easily think that I’m doing God a favor by coming to church.  It is way too easy for me to look for a loophole to somehow think that I can do something for God and he will be satisfied.  I’m not doing God a favor by being here and neither are you.  We can’t do anything that will “satisfy” God.  But the Savior did.  That’s why we come.  The Gospel-that good news is here.
     “The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he anointed me to preach good news to the poor.”  There was the match.  God had set Jesus aside as the one who would bring the news.   The good news was there.  The good news Jesus announced at Nazareth, Jesus did at Calvary and on all the roads that led up to Calvary.  He did all of that for you and me.  As we gather here in God’s house, God fills us the good news.  He fills us up to go out again into a world where there isn’t much good news. Maybe in God’s word we hear something that we have heard many times before and that gives us strength to go out again.  Maybe through God’s living and active word we see or hear something we haven’t really heard before.  So often we find that the one anointed to preach the good news gives us something that we just needed to hear that day or how often don’t we find that the words selected from the scrolls of God’s Word, (just like the scroll was handed to Jesus) talk about something that we are going through-maybe struggling with.  Jesus has good news, the Gospel-God has sent a Savior.
      We can possess a lot of money and be poor in others ways too.    Our wallets can be full and still be poor in all kinds of ways.  Most of the people in the world would look at the homes that we live in and the cars we drive and say that we are wealthy beyond their wildest dreams.  But we can be poor in so many ways.  We can be poor selfish friends, always thinking about what we are going to get out of a relationship.  We can be poor spouses, not treating our spouses as the treasure they are from God.  We can sure be poor parents being poor examples of Christians living to our children.  Much of what was written on the scroll of Isaiah the prophet matches us- poor sinners.  “We all like sheep have gone astray- each of us has gone his own way.”  But there is good news for poor sinners.  Jesus is here.  He says,  ”God has sent me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed 19and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
     As we look at that service in the synagogue we see that faith and joy are there too as the people hear God’s word spoken through Jesus, the Word made flesh, God’s promises fulfilled.  “He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21He began to tell them, “Today, this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”  I’m sure there were all kinds of people in the service that morning.  Young and old, rich and poor, healthy and those who were feeling the ache in the bones.  After these verses we hear about some of those who were there who did not believe Jesus.  They pushed him away, even tried to push him over a cliff.  But there were also those who were there whose eyes of were fastened on Jesus in faith.  There were those who heard what Jesus said and rejoiced.  God had kept his promise and sent a Savior.  That’s where we find ourselves today-eyes of faith fastened on Jesus.  Eyes of faith that try to stay focused on Jesus even if there is a snow storm and bitter cold coming this week and we are not so sure how the car is going to start.  Eyes of faith that stay focused on Jesus even when we are going through sickness and problems.  With eyes fastened on Jesus we rejoice. 
     There is an old joke about a pastor who said to a man who wasn’t in church very often, “You need to join the Army of the Lord!” The man replied, “I'm already in the Army of the Lord, Pastor.” Pastor questioned, “How come I don't see you except at Christmas and Easter?” He whispered back, “I'm in the secret service.”  That joke maybe isn’t all that funny when we have people in our families or our friends who are neglecting God’s Word.  While we are happy that friends and loved ones hear God’s Word on Christmas and Easter we also recognized that is a dangerous spot to stay at.  Let’s us whose eyes are fastened on Jesus encourage those who might be in the “secret service.”  Services here are a lot like the service at the Synagogue.  By God’s grace, where two or three are gathered in his name, there he is in the midst of us.  His Gospel is here.  Poor sinners are here.  And faith and joy are here.
Amen.   

Monday, January 21, 2019

January 19-21, 2019 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 “THE GLORY OF THE LORD IS REVEALED!


EPIPHANY 2


January 19-21, 2019

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11



“THE GLORY OF THE LORD IS REVEALED!

1.     In us.

2.     Through us.



1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (NIV) Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.”



The word Epiphany means to make manifest or to reveal. And so you have heard how in Gospel lessons how Jesus was revealed to be the Savior of all at the little Christmas visit of the Wise Men from the East. And last week you heard how Jesus was revealed to be the real God sent and appointed Messiah at His Baptism. Today’s Gospel showed how Jesus revealed He is truly God in His first miracle. The account of Jesus’ first miracle concludes with the words,  “He revealed his glory and his disciples believed in him.” Do you remember the first time you heard about Jesus’ first miracle? Maybe as a little child sitting on your mother’s lap or on the hallway carpet just before you went to bed? It sounded so cool, so big. And then you got older and you no longer heard God’s word with the ears, heart and faith of a child and maybe you wondered, “Why this for the first miracle? Water into wine? The need is not great. The wow factor is missing. Most of the people there didn’t even know what was going on.” Where is the glory in that?

          That can be a Christian struggle, can’ it, the Lord reveals His glory as He wishes but we long for something more, bigger, the way we want it. I’m hoping I’m not the only one who sometimes just wants Jesus to come down here and teach people a lesson. All this questioning of what God says, all this defiant mockery of Jesus, all this misplaced values where people of our country throw big bucks at sports stars and entertainers and Gospel work goes begging. If only the Lord would do some of that fire from heaven, or turning into pillars of salt or even just striking someone with leprosy once in a while, that would teach them. Then they’d fear Him. Show your glory!  And yet the word clearly points out that the greatest glory of God is not revealed in God’s punishment of sin, but in His forgiveness. I invite you to come with me, brothers and sisters, back to your mother’s laps, or the chair around the kitchen table or the upstairs carpet, wherever you had your Bible stories as a kid and renew your sense of awe at the way the Lord reveals his glory because 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 reminds us that the glory of the Lord is being revealed in a surprising way: in us and through us!

          Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.” As you know the church at Corinth was a sick church in a sick city. Corinth was that time’s sin city. If you think America is bad we have a long way to go to sink to the depths of sexual depravity of Corinth. And they were proud of their sexual filth. The church at Corinth was sick in a different way. It was marred by a lack of unity. There were factions and cliques in the congregation. They were immature spiritually. They needed a God’s eye view of spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are just what they sound like. Gifts that come from the Holy Spirit.

          Most important among those gifts is the ability to believe in Jesus as Savior. The Corinthian Christians had been idol worshipers. But now they were believers in Jesus. How did that happen? The Holy Spirit went to work in their hearts. That’s the glory of the Lord. More impressive than changing water into wine, greater than raising a dead person is changing an unbelieving heart into a believing one, a spiritually dead person to spiritually living one. That happened in you and me. When is the last time you just pondered the fact that the Holy Spirit’s work in you pulled you out of Hell or do you like me have to sadly confess that you probably felt more relief that the cop you passed going 10 mph over didn’t pull out after you? Sometimes we are going to look at ourselves or each other and wonder where the glory of the Lord is as we continue to struggle with the same sins, or struggle or work or financially when the unbelievers seem to prosper. But then remember that God’s glory is revealed chiefly in the forgiveness of sin. Not its punishment. The glory of the Lord is revealed in us as the Holy Spirit works faith. Don’t overlook it or take it for granted!

And then marvel that the glory of the Lord is revealed through us. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. 7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.”

Unfortunately I have a daughter studying to be a nurse. I say unfortunately because she just loves to share all the details of the way the human body works with her parents. I really don’t need to know all that. Some body stuff is just gross. But when you listen and reflect you find yourself thinking, “Who could come up with this? It is just magnificent how some 2000 body parts work for the common good and how just one hurting body part can affect so many others. That amazing way God has put the body together is a picture of how God has put us together to reveal His glory. In addition to the spiritual gift of faith the Holy Spirit has given to each of us spiritual gifts to reveal God’s glory to others. Some of you are good at speaking, some at inviting, some at singing, some at making music, some at working and fixing, some at helping others, some at teaching, some at giving, but all for the common good so we can carry out the mission of Jesus to reveal the glory of the Lord that He forgives sins through Jesus.

And these aren’t just at church gifts. You carry the glory of the Lord with you wherever you are. It is revealed as fathers use Jesus name at home, but not in vain, to teach their children to know and love Him. It is revealed when you tell your co worker how you deal with difficult issues, calmly trusting in God who has given you Jesus. It is revealed by your light of the world living where faithful working and good neighboring draws others to Jesus. The glory of the Lord is revealed through us, in different ways in different people with different gifts but always the same goal, the common good, forgiveness of sins in Jesus.

Is that going to cause a wow factor? Are we going to be able to charge $500 for front row seats here? Will paparazzi hound you and fans swarm you for your autograph as a Christian? Probably not.  But the day is coming when the glory of the Lord revealed so quietly by Jesus at Cana and in us and through us now and is recognized only by believers will be revealed for all when every knee will bow before Jesus and the unbelievers will sadly say, “You were right. God help us.” Amen.

Thursday, January 3, 2019

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2018 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude The Sermon: WE WALK WITH JESUS


NEW YEAR’S EVE 2018

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude



The Sermon:                        WE WALK WITH JESUS



Hey, let’s go for a walk! Will you accept the invitation? That depends on who’s asking and how you are feeling. If a mob boss asks you to go for a walk you probably won’t want to take it. If you are sick or depressed you probably don’t want to go for a walk. If it’s a nice day the invitation sounds good. If it comes from someone you want to spend time with it sounds good. About the only time an invitation to take a walk is always met with enthusiasm is when you ask your dog. How are you feeling at the end of 2018? Depends if you had a rough year or an easier one. How are you feeling about 2019? Depends on what you think it will bring. No matter how you are feeling though, God’s word gives us good news as it assures us that the one we walk with each and every day is our Lord Jesus Christ. To guide our meditation we’ll use some hymns that talk about walking with Jesus. Let’s join then in singing the first three verses of Hymn 431. Please notice how each verse really tells a story of the days of our lives.



Hymn:  ‟I Walk in Danger All the Way” ………………………..…. CW #431 vv. 1-3



1. At first glance a Hymn with the title “I walk in danger all the way” doesn’t promise to be comforting and encouraging. It has all the promise of a downer. Kind of like the news Chris and I saw this morning. Their year in review had only bad stories. As you look ahead to the New Year the thought of walking in danger all the way isn’t very appealing. But there is some truth there that we need to hear. The soldiers getting ready to storm the beaches of Normandy needed to hear the warning to keep moving and keep their heads down and find cover. Christian soldiers need similar warnings. So often when we think of dangers we are thinking of potential accidents or disasters, the one in the news. I read a headline that described 2018 as the year all the world was on fire all the time. Verse one reminds us though of a greater danger, the Devil, who wants to lead us to the fires of Hell. Peter warned us of him in his first epistle:



1 Peter 5:8 (NIV 1984) Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”



In 2018 our enemy the Devil looked to devour us. He set snares and traps which were temptations. Some of them we recognized and resisted. We used the word of God like Jesus did and Satan had to go away. Some of them you fell into. Some of them I fell into. We rushed back to the arms of Jesus. We heard Him say again in the Lord’s Supper. “Your sins are forgiven. Go in peace.” We’ll hear Him say it again tonight. What do you think 2019 will bring? More temptation of course. Satan does not give up just because we resist him or just because we are forgiven. Have you noticed yet how every season of life brings a particular temptation of body and spirit? In youth it’s lust and short sighted decision making. In middle ages it’s greed and materialism, in old age, pride and fear as the body fades. Watch and pray. Words for all of Jesus’ disciples. We walk into a spiritual battle zone every day. But we don’t walk alone. We walk with Jesus.



2. Our second verse reminded us of another uncomfortable truth. That our life has trials in it. Difficulties. I don’t know any of who like hard times. We don’t like dealing with car accidents or illnesses and diseases. We don’t like financial hardships or debt. But all of the difficulties have a master, Jesus. And Jesus does not let anything happen without a good purpose. That’s why he had the Apostles encourage the early Christian church with these words.



Acts 14:22 (NIV 1984) We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.



Hey, wait a minute! You mean hardships are not bad? That they are God’s way to bring us into His kingdom? Yes! That’s why the Apostle Paul urged us in Romans 5 to rejoice in our sufferings because suffering produces perseverance and perseverance character and character hope, that expectant waiting for God to make it all right. Did you have hardships in 2018? Financial loss? Difficult diagnosis for self or loved one? Accidents? Do you think some will come in 2019? Of course and it’s OK. In fact it’s more than OK because Jesus controls them as He walks right there with us. He will use them for the good of keeping us close, of refining our faith, to keep us and bring us into the kingdom of God.



3. A select few of you dealt with the death of a close loved one in 2018. A select few will deal with the death of a close loved one in 2019 and some of you will face your own. All of us at some point dealt with memories of loved ones lost so we understand why the hymn writer wrote about “grim death” pursuing us. Death hurts and here’s why.



Romans 5:12 (NIV 1984) Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.



Death is a reminder of the horrible nature of sin. Every time you see a death it is a visual and painful reminder of the destructive nature of sin. Sin separates. People from people. Bodies and souls. People from God. Death is grim and unless the end of the world comes first each of us is going to die. But remember, we walk Jesus. And Jesus changes everything including death. By His death Jesus conquered death and turns it into the gateway of heaven. When you walk with Jesus death still hurts but it loses its sting. It actually serves a good purpose to help us remember how much we need Jesus as Savior. When you walk with Jesus to the funeral of your loved one who died believing in Him your sorrow for your loss conflicts with your joy for them and the looking forward to seeing them again. If you are one of the select few who will go to heaven in 2019 you will walk with Jesus all the way from the imperfect and mortal to the perfect and immortal.



Let’s continue singing vv 4-6.



Hymn:  ‟I Walk in Danger All the Way” ………………………..…. CW #431 vv. 4-6



4. If you noticed there is kind of a marked difference in the first three verses of #431 and the last three. After reminding us of the reality of life in a sin filled world that it will never be all peaches and cream, that the devil will be active and there will be trials and there will be death, the writer directs our eyes where they need to be. On Jesus. Remember all those dangers that we walked in during 2018 and will in 2019? We weren’t alone. Jesus walked with us and others too.



Psalm 91:10-11 (NIV 1984) Then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. 11For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.”



You and I don’t know even half the dangers we walked through in 2018 because the angels were guarding us in all our ways. They do a perfect job of thwarting all the attempts of the Devil and demons to harm us. There is no reason for us to live 2019 with fear and dread. We walk with angels all the way and they are powerful beings keep harm and danger away from us and our loved ones so that the only ones that get through are the ones Jesus allows.



5. And those we did not face alone for Jesus kept this promise He made recorded by the Gospel writer Matthew.



Matthew 28:20b (NIV 1984) And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”



When I was serving as a pastor in Texas, one of my members, who had been Southern Baptist told me a joke I didn’t get. See if you do. “A man died and was standing before St Peter and the gates of heaven. St. Peter says, Glad you are here. Before you can enter you must just answer one question. What is God’s first name? That’s easy, the man said. “It’s Andy.” Andy! Exclaimed Peter, “Where did you get that from? Everybody knows. It’s in the song. “Andy walks with me Andy talks with me!” Get it? I didn’t. You would have had to be in a place in the country or a church upbringing that included the southern favorite song, “He walks with me” which has the refrain, “And He walks with me and He talks with me.” And he, Andy. Now the joke is based on made up circumstances. Peter does not control the gates of heaven and there is no question asked. That song never became a favorite of mine but the truth it is based on stands. Jesus walks with us. He was with you every day of 2018. Sometimes you were aware and in awe as you were bowled over by his love or forgiveness or the peace he provided in some difficult time. Most of the time you probably lived unaware or maybe forgot.  But He was with you and will be for 2019.



6. And that’s why we will want to keep in mind the truth verse 6 proclaimed that our walk is heavenward all the way. Paul reminded us of that in his letter to the Philippians.



Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV 1984) Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.



I don’t know if I’ll get to see heaven in 2019 or if you will. That is up to God. But it is true as the hymn writer said that when that day comes “farewell you can gladly say to all your sin and sorrow.” Why? Because Jesus walks with us. By His perfect life lived for us, His sacrificial death died for us and His new life now lived for us each day we take a step to heaven and we never have to walk it alone. We walk with Jesus. Let’s declare that now as we stand to sing the first and fourth verse of a hymn many times used at Confirmation and let’s think about that as a Confirmation renewal heading into the New Year.



Hymn:  ‟Let Us Ever Walk with Jesus” ………………………..….CW #452 vv. 1, 4