Monday, September 26, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
PENTECOST 14
September 18/19, 2011
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Romans 11:33-36
“WHEN YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND GOD, PRAISE HIM!
1. For His Wisdom.
2. For His Grace.
3. For His glory.
Romans 11:33-36 (NIV1984) “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? 35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
God is God and I am not. That is a phrase that has stuck in my head. I heard it first from a pastor friend of mine who would say it whenever we were talking about things we didn’t understand. God is God and I am not. He even wrote a paper on that topic. God is God and I am not! The Holy Spirit had the Apostle Paul write on that topic as well. His words that I read to you moments ago follow some pretty hard to understand teachings of Scripture. He had revealed teachings like Election also known as Predestination where God in His mercy and to highlight His grace chose those to be saved before the Creation of the world. That’s hard to understand. He had explained some truths that were very hard for the Jewish Christians to understand like the fact that Gentile believers were also part of God’s chosen Israel. He pointed to the hard truth that those who had Jewish blood but rejected Jesus as their Messiah in spite of all of God’s warnings and pleadings would not be saved. And then right before our text the Holy Spirit focused his and our attention on the fact that in God’s plans, man’s constant disobedience is really an opportunity for God to show mercy. We don’t think like that. These aren’t our ways of working. But they are God’s and so when Paul found himself grappling to understand God’s ways he simply burst into a song of praise. That gives us a good way to respond as well. When you don’t understand God, praise Him. Paul helps us to see what we can praise Him for.
First when you don’t understand God praise Him for His wisdom. Paul’s praise went like this: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” Paul’s words make me chuckle. When was the last time you got a phone call that went like this: “Hi. It’s the Lord. I’m having a problem and I need your advice.” That’s ridiculous! God doesn’t need advice. He doesn’t need a counselor. But isn’t that exactly what we try to do some time in prayer? Lord I have this problem and this is what I want you to do about it, taking this wonderful gift of prayer and using it like a leash as though we can yank God around. That’s the offense of “name it, claim it” theology of prayer where if you believe enough in what you ask for God has to do it. Well, I’ve got news for those folks. The almighty does not have to do anything. Nor does He take advice from creatures He created.
Or how about those other hard areas to deal with? Forgive me if I cause anyone here any pain. Why does the Christian couple who want so badly to serve the Lord by serving souls in the form of children go childless and those who neglect their kids get one after another to abuse? Why does a child die before the parents? Why do the wicked seem to get away with it? Why doesn’t God just wipe out the terrorists, the murders, the rapists? Why? Why? These questions and so many more can plague us as we strive to put to together the absolute power of God, His knowledge of all things, and square it with life in a world which seems so unfair. Brothers and sisters when you can’t understand God, stand under Him. God is God and I am not. Praise Him, like Paul did. Acknowledge that His wisdom and knowledge are so much greater. His judgments always wise and His ways beyond our ability to comprehend. Trying to figure out the wisdom of God is like staring into the depths of the ocean from the surface, seeing some fish swim by 20 feet down and thinking you’ve got. Oh no, there is some much more to the ocean depths than that and there is so much more to the wisdom of God than we can even begin to guess at. If you want just a tiny taste from just a human perspective try playing chess against someone who is much better than you. I just started playing with a friend and I watch some moves and say, “Why is he doing that?” and then make my smart move only to find 3 or 4 moves later I’m left with only bad choices for moves. I say, “How did he do that?” That is nothing compared to the wisdom and knowledge of God and His ways of working.
And for all those times you want to question His ways, if you want to see how the power of God and the wisdom of God work together look at the cross. See Jesus there. Who would ever have thought of that? Who would think of putting the power of the Son of God in man making Him vulnerable to death and then using that death to make payment for the sins of all people. Brilliant! When you can’t understand God, praise Him. Praise Him for His wisdom.
Praise Him for His grace. “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” That’s another one of those makes me chuckle question. Someone coming to God to collect on an IOU. Ridiculous! And yet there we go again in the wickedness of our hearts. I obeyed you Lord, (that one time, never mind the 99 times today I didn’t!) Now you owe me something good. My prayer should get answered. Or looking at the offerings we bring as an obligation, a must, instead of a privilege to have our pieces of paper and metal actually accepted by God as something pleasing to Him. These pay St. Jacobi’s bills, not God’s. He doesn’t have any bills. He owes no one.
And yet He still gives. God’s gifts and blessings are not payback but pay forward. He forgives not because we deserve it but because He loves us and so we will be motivated to love in return. The physical blessings we have in homes and skills and family and things, all flow from God who gives because He gives. It’s grace. God acting out of undeserved love. Remember that the next time you are tempted to cry “Not fair, God” when someone you think is less than you gets blessings you want to have. Let your whining “Why me” in the midst of adversity become a wondering “Why me?” that revels in God’s grace. Why are you so good to me Lord when I have sinned against you so greatly?
You know the Apostle Paul thought that. He didn’t have a problem with God’s dealing with the world because he had been wowed by God’s grace. As Saul he had been the Christian killer and Christ hater. He had done more harm to more brothers and sisters in the early Christian church than anyone of his former colleagues. And still Jesus had chosen him to be saved and to serve. Remembering that helped Paul when he didn’t understand how God was dealing with other people. So he praised God for his grace.
And for His glory. “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Behold the glory of God. All the universe flows from His power and wisdom. Only though Him are all things sustained. And to Him, for Him do all things exist. God is God. He is not some sort of superhuman. He’s not one of his with X Men power. Many times when you and I are having trouble with things God has allowed in our lives or the lives of others it’s because we are trying to make God in our own image as though our ways of thinking and acting are the best and so God should be like that. But God is not the image of man. He is God and we need to acknowledge that and humble ourselves beneath Him and praise Him for His glory.
God is God and I am not. That is what my pastor friend and I would say when something didn’t make sense. We gradually added another line to it. God is God. I am not and I wouldn’t want it any other way! Oh we would laugh. What if God was like us. We’d all be in trouble. But He’s not like us and we are not in trouble. We are saved according to His wisdom and His grace and this is for His glory. Remember that when you can’t understand God. Then praise Him. Amen.
September 18/19, 2011
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Romans 11:33-36
“WHEN YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND GOD, PRAISE HIM!
1. For His Wisdom.
2. For His Grace.
3. For His glory.
Romans 11:33-36 (NIV1984) “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? 35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”
God is God and I am not. That is a phrase that has stuck in my head. I heard it first from a pastor friend of mine who would say it whenever we were talking about things we didn’t understand. God is God and I am not. He even wrote a paper on that topic. God is God and I am not! The Holy Spirit had the Apostle Paul write on that topic as well. His words that I read to you moments ago follow some pretty hard to understand teachings of Scripture. He had revealed teachings like Election also known as Predestination where God in His mercy and to highlight His grace chose those to be saved before the Creation of the world. That’s hard to understand. He had explained some truths that were very hard for the Jewish Christians to understand like the fact that Gentile believers were also part of God’s chosen Israel. He pointed to the hard truth that those who had Jewish blood but rejected Jesus as their Messiah in spite of all of God’s warnings and pleadings would not be saved. And then right before our text the Holy Spirit focused his and our attention on the fact that in God’s plans, man’s constant disobedience is really an opportunity for God to show mercy. We don’t think like that. These aren’t our ways of working. But they are God’s and so when Paul found himself grappling to understand God’s ways he simply burst into a song of praise. That gives us a good way to respond as well. When you don’t understand God, praise Him. Paul helps us to see what we can praise Him for.
First when you don’t understand God praise Him for His wisdom. Paul’s praise went like this: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” Paul’s words make me chuckle. When was the last time you got a phone call that went like this: “Hi. It’s the Lord. I’m having a problem and I need your advice.” That’s ridiculous! God doesn’t need advice. He doesn’t need a counselor. But isn’t that exactly what we try to do some time in prayer? Lord I have this problem and this is what I want you to do about it, taking this wonderful gift of prayer and using it like a leash as though we can yank God around. That’s the offense of “name it, claim it” theology of prayer where if you believe enough in what you ask for God has to do it. Well, I’ve got news for those folks. The almighty does not have to do anything. Nor does He take advice from creatures He created.
Or how about those other hard areas to deal with? Forgive me if I cause anyone here any pain. Why does the Christian couple who want so badly to serve the Lord by serving souls in the form of children go childless and those who neglect their kids get one after another to abuse? Why does a child die before the parents? Why do the wicked seem to get away with it? Why doesn’t God just wipe out the terrorists, the murders, the rapists? Why? Why? These questions and so many more can plague us as we strive to put to together the absolute power of God, His knowledge of all things, and square it with life in a world which seems so unfair. Brothers and sisters when you can’t understand God, stand under Him. God is God and I am not. Praise Him, like Paul did. Acknowledge that His wisdom and knowledge are so much greater. His judgments always wise and His ways beyond our ability to comprehend. Trying to figure out the wisdom of God is like staring into the depths of the ocean from the surface, seeing some fish swim by 20 feet down and thinking you’ve got. Oh no, there is some much more to the ocean depths than that and there is so much more to the wisdom of God than we can even begin to guess at. If you want just a tiny taste from just a human perspective try playing chess against someone who is much better than you. I just started playing with a friend and I watch some moves and say, “Why is he doing that?” and then make my smart move only to find 3 or 4 moves later I’m left with only bad choices for moves. I say, “How did he do that?” That is nothing compared to the wisdom and knowledge of God and His ways of working.
And for all those times you want to question His ways, if you want to see how the power of God and the wisdom of God work together look at the cross. See Jesus there. Who would ever have thought of that? Who would think of putting the power of the Son of God in man making Him vulnerable to death and then using that death to make payment for the sins of all people. Brilliant! When you can’t understand God, praise Him. Praise Him for His wisdom.
Praise Him for His grace. “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” That’s another one of those makes me chuckle question. Someone coming to God to collect on an IOU. Ridiculous! And yet there we go again in the wickedness of our hearts. I obeyed you Lord, (that one time, never mind the 99 times today I didn’t!) Now you owe me something good. My prayer should get answered. Or looking at the offerings we bring as an obligation, a must, instead of a privilege to have our pieces of paper and metal actually accepted by God as something pleasing to Him. These pay St. Jacobi’s bills, not God’s. He doesn’t have any bills. He owes no one.
And yet He still gives. God’s gifts and blessings are not payback but pay forward. He forgives not because we deserve it but because He loves us and so we will be motivated to love in return. The physical blessings we have in homes and skills and family and things, all flow from God who gives because He gives. It’s grace. God acting out of undeserved love. Remember that the next time you are tempted to cry “Not fair, God” when someone you think is less than you gets blessings you want to have. Let your whining “Why me” in the midst of adversity become a wondering “Why me?” that revels in God’s grace. Why are you so good to me Lord when I have sinned against you so greatly?
You know the Apostle Paul thought that. He didn’t have a problem with God’s dealing with the world because he had been wowed by God’s grace. As Saul he had been the Christian killer and Christ hater. He had done more harm to more brothers and sisters in the early Christian church than anyone of his former colleagues. And still Jesus had chosen him to be saved and to serve. Remembering that helped Paul when he didn’t understand how God was dealing with other people. So he praised God for his grace.
And for His glory. “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” Behold the glory of God. All the universe flows from His power and wisdom. Only though Him are all things sustained. And to Him, for Him do all things exist. God is God. He is not some sort of superhuman. He’s not one of his with X Men power. Many times when you and I are having trouble with things God has allowed in our lives or the lives of others it’s because we are trying to make God in our own image as though our ways of thinking and acting are the best and so God should be like that. But God is not the image of man. He is God and we need to acknowledge that and humble ourselves beneath Him and praise Him for His glory.
God is God and I am not. That is what my pastor friend and I would say when something didn’t make sense. We gradually added another line to it. God is God. I am not and I wouldn’t want it any other way! Oh we would laugh. What if God was like us. We’d all be in trouble. But He’s not like us and we are not in trouble. We are saved according to His wisdom and His grace and this is for His glory. Remember that when you can’t understand God. Then praise Him. Amen.
Monday, September 5, 2011
PENTECOST 12
September 4/5, 2011
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Matthew 14:22-33
“WHEN YOU’RE WALKING ON WATER…”
1. Remember to keep your eyes on Jesus.
2. Remember that Jesus will never let you down!
Matthew 14:22-33 (NIV 1984) “Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
I’m sure many of you have seen the commercials where through computer graphics or special effects technology it appears that a car is driving on water or a person walking on it. Perhaps you can think of people who command such respect it is said of them that they “walk on water.” In reality the commercials are fake and there is no living person who walks on water. But Jesus did. Jesus is the Son of God and for Him to walk on water is a little thing, something as simple as the rest of us walking on a nicely paved parking lot. But what many people forget is that someone else walked on water. Peter did!
At the time of our text Jesus’ disciples had been following Him for about two years, learning more and more about the true kingdom of God and purpose of the Messiah. They had seen many astounding miracles. Not too long before this John the Baptist had been beheaded by spineless King Herod. Jesus had just finished the miraculous feeding of the 5000. Jesus needed some of the restful time we all need, time spent with His Father and in prayer and so we are told, “Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.”
So while Jesus prayed the disciples, many of whom were experienced fishermen, crossed from the northeast side of the Sea of Galilee to the northwest. It sounds like it was a rough trip. The wind was against them. The waves were buffeting or the boat. But that’s not what scared them. Jesus did. He came to them walking on the water. They had never seen such a thing before so they made the only conclusion they could. It was a ghost!
But of course it wasn’t a ghost. It was Jesus and Jesus did what Jesus always does. He comforted and encouraged them. “But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” And then Peter did what he always does and spoke up boldly. I don’t think Peter will mind us describing him as someone who often spoke first without thinking through the consequences of what he was saying. “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” Well it was Jesus, and He said, “Come,” Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.” Peter was walking on water! He took the Lord Jesus at His word and he walked on water. Can you imagine what that must have been like? That first tentative step. It holds! Then step after step, straight toward Jesus, eyes fixed on the Savior.
Brothers and sisters, it is highly unlikely that Jesus will come to us on this earth and invite or command us to walk on water. However there will come to each of us situations where we will need to do something that seems just as impossible, just as scary. Your walking on water might be following Jesus’ command to love others, actually care about where they spend their eternity, so that you have to confront a believer who is caught in the Devil’s trap of unrepentant sin. It might be plunging ahead into a spiritual conversation with that person at work who’s been confused by wrong religion overload. He might ask you to walk on the water of job loss, death of a loved one, recently diagnosed disease or cancer. It might be to walk on the water of dealing with a difficult person. Whatever it may be when you find yourself walking on water remember to keep your eyes on Jesus. You can do it just like Peter did for whatever the Lord commands and invites you to do He will give you what you need to do it. Peter successfully walked on water by simply following the command of the Savior and walking toward Him. So too for you. Keep your eyes on Jesus. What is His command to you? What are His promises for you? I will be with you and give you the words to say. I will never leave you nor forsake you. My Father will provide your need. You will never be given more than you can handle. You can do all things with my strength. When you’re walking on water remember to keep your eyes on Jesus.
And remember He will never let you down. Peter didn’t keep walking on water. Peter started to sink. What happened? “ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Peter let Jesus down. Instead of focusing on Jesus Peter looked around at all the possible scary things that could happen. He saw the effects of the wind, blowing the water, riling the waves. No doubt He felt the spray on his face. He got scared looking at all those scary possibilities. Fear became his master instead of Jesus. Even though Jesus had given him everything he needed to walk on water, Peter began to sink. He let Jesus down.
But Jesus did not let Peter down. “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Jesus question was not a chiding but a statement of fact. Peter doubted. He had a lapse of faith. But you notice Jesus did not cop the attitude we find it so easy to do with others who struggle or fall into sin. You know what I’m talking about because you think it with others. “You made your bed now lie in it. Now you’re going to have to swim Peter. It’s the only way you’ll learn.” Instead, immediately, immediately, (see your Savior’s heart) Jesus reached out His hand and safely caught Peter before he could sink down. Jesus didn’t let Peter down.
When you find yourself walking on water remember that Jesus won’t let you down either. We all would hope to stay trusting Jesus in time of trial or when in His wisdom He commands or invites us to do something hard. We are all given everything we need to successfully walk on water, handle whatever seemingly impossible challenge that comes our way. The simple truth is we are weak willed sinners whose best doesn’t cut it. Our faith is never strong enough because if any of us had faith even the size of a tiny mustard seed we would be moving mountains and I haven’t done that and neither have you. How great to have Jesus who, when we doubt and break down and cry and feel like giving up, will never let us down. How great to know that Jesus, though disappointed in the weakness of our faith, will still be there to grab a hold of us before we sink into despair.
Remember that when you let Jesus down. The Devil will try to get you to push Jesus away, to feel like there is no redemption for you. If your fall is into sin He will try to make you think your sins are unforgiveable. But they are not. Jesus has paid for them in full. He is Son of God and Savior.
That’s the conclusion the disciples came to. At the end of this lesson we are told, “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” This is the conclusion we must come to as well and are happy to. Jesus, our Savior, is the Son of God. When we leave here by word and action, let’s continue to worship Him. Amen.
September 4/5, 2011
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Matthew 14:22-33
“WHEN YOU’RE WALKING ON WATER…”
1. Remember to keep your eyes on Jesus.
2. Remember that Jesus will never let you down!
Matthew 14:22-33 (NIV 1984) “Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
I’m sure many of you have seen the commercials where through computer graphics or special effects technology it appears that a car is driving on water or a person walking on it. Perhaps you can think of people who command such respect it is said of them that they “walk on water.” In reality the commercials are fake and there is no living person who walks on water. But Jesus did. Jesus is the Son of God and for Him to walk on water is a little thing, something as simple as the rest of us walking on a nicely paved parking lot. But what many people forget is that someone else walked on water. Peter did!
At the time of our text Jesus’ disciples had been following Him for about two years, learning more and more about the true kingdom of God and purpose of the Messiah. They had seen many astounding miracles. Not too long before this John the Baptist had been beheaded by spineless King Herod. Jesus had just finished the miraculous feeding of the 5000. Jesus needed some of the restful time we all need, time spent with His Father and in prayer and so we are told, “Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.”
So while Jesus prayed the disciples, many of whom were experienced fishermen, crossed from the northeast side of the Sea of Galilee to the northwest. It sounds like it was a rough trip. The wind was against them. The waves were buffeting or the boat. But that’s not what scared them. Jesus did. He came to them walking on the water. They had never seen such a thing before so they made the only conclusion they could. It was a ghost!
But of course it wasn’t a ghost. It was Jesus and Jesus did what Jesus always does. He comforted and encouraged them. “But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” And then Peter did what he always does and spoke up boldly. I don’t think Peter will mind us describing him as someone who often spoke first without thinking through the consequences of what he was saying. “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” Well it was Jesus, and He said, “Come,” Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.” Peter was walking on water! He took the Lord Jesus at His word and he walked on water. Can you imagine what that must have been like? That first tentative step. It holds! Then step after step, straight toward Jesus, eyes fixed on the Savior.
Brothers and sisters, it is highly unlikely that Jesus will come to us on this earth and invite or command us to walk on water. However there will come to each of us situations where we will need to do something that seems just as impossible, just as scary. Your walking on water might be following Jesus’ command to love others, actually care about where they spend their eternity, so that you have to confront a believer who is caught in the Devil’s trap of unrepentant sin. It might be plunging ahead into a spiritual conversation with that person at work who’s been confused by wrong religion overload. He might ask you to walk on the water of job loss, death of a loved one, recently diagnosed disease or cancer. It might be to walk on the water of dealing with a difficult person. Whatever it may be when you find yourself walking on water remember to keep your eyes on Jesus. You can do it just like Peter did for whatever the Lord commands and invites you to do He will give you what you need to do it. Peter successfully walked on water by simply following the command of the Savior and walking toward Him. So too for you. Keep your eyes on Jesus. What is His command to you? What are His promises for you? I will be with you and give you the words to say. I will never leave you nor forsake you. My Father will provide your need. You will never be given more than you can handle. You can do all things with my strength. When you’re walking on water remember to keep your eyes on Jesus.
And remember He will never let you down. Peter didn’t keep walking on water. Peter started to sink. What happened? “ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Peter let Jesus down. Instead of focusing on Jesus Peter looked around at all the possible scary things that could happen. He saw the effects of the wind, blowing the water, riling the waves. No doubt He felt the spray on his face. He got scared looking at all those scary possibilities. Fear became his master instead of Jesus. Even though Jesus had given him everything he needed to walk on water, Peter began to sink. He let Jesus down.
But Jesus did not let Peter down. “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Jesus question was not a chiding but a statement of fact. Peter doubted. He had a lapse of faith. But you notice Jesus did not cop the attitude we find it so easy to do with others who struggle or fall into sin. You know what I’m talking about because you think it with others. “You made your bed now lie in it. Now you’re going to have to swim Peter. It’s the only way you’ll learn.” Instead, immediately, immediately, (see your Savior’s heart) Jesus reached out His hand and safely caught Peter before he could sink down. Jesus didn’t let Peter down.
When you find yourself walking on water remember that Jesus won’t let you down either. We all would hope to stay trusting Jesus in time of trial or when in His wisdom He commands or invites us to do something hard. We are all given everything we need to successfully walk on water, handle whatever seemingly impossible challenge that comes our way. The simple truth is we are weak willed sinners whose best doesn’t cut it. Our faith is never strong enough because if any of us had faith even the size of a tiny mustard seed we would be moving mountains and I haven’t done that and neither have you. How great to have Jesus who, when we doubt and break down and cry and feel like giving up, will never let us down. How great to know that Jesus, though disappointed in the weakness of our faith, will still be there to grab a hold of us before we sink into despair.
Remember that when you let Jesus down. The Devil will try to get you to push Jesus away, to feel like there is no redemption for you. If your fall is into sin He will try to make you think your sins are unforgiveable. But they are not. Jesus has paid for them in full. He is Son of God and Savior.
That’s the conclusion the disciples came to. At the end of this lesson we are told, “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” This is the conclusion we must come to as well and are happy to. Jesus, our Savior, is the Son of God. When we leave here by word and action, let’s continue to worship Him. Amen.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
August 28/29, 2011 Sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert on Romans 8:31-39
August 28/29, 2011 sermon by Pastor Paul G. Eckert - Pentecost 11
Sermon text - Romans 8:31-39
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Parents here, what is your response to your children? You do a lot for them, don’t you. And what about us as a congregation? I’d like to think that we do a lot for our congregation’s children too. We have a Sunday School and its staff for weekly training in the Word of God. For daily training we have an expensive school. Its large staff now includes three who are being installed this Sunday: Mrs. Denise Bloomquist, Mrs. LaRae Fromm, and Mrs. Samantha List. We welcome them to our church family of workers here.
Now as individuals what is our response to what our congregation is doing for our children? Hopefully it will be supporting all of our staff, supporting all of the work we are doing here for our children, as well as supporting the wider work of our congregation and our synod.
But why would that be our response? Looking now at our sermon text, let’s make our sermon theme:
OUR RESPONSE TO GOD BEING FOR US
I MARVEL AT WHAT GOD HAS DONE (31-34)
1. We start with an "if" statement. (31)
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
a) Is God all-powerful? If so, then certainly nobody could
possibly be successful against us.
b) But that is true only if God actually is for us. Is He? With all
of the problems we can have, is God really for us?
2. Consider some proof for that statement. (32-33)
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
a) God was willing to sacrifice His only begotten Son for us,
miserable sinners that we are. What proof of His love for us!
b) God chose us, we did not choose Him. And He justified us,
tells us we are not held guilty of sin because Jesus paid for our
sins. What tremendous proof for the fact that God is for us!
3. Look closer at His Son’s involvement in this. (34)
Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than
that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.
a) Jesus’ death is proof God is for us. But Jesus not only died.
He also arose, proof of the victory He claimed on the cross.
b) And He now stands in eternity’s court, interceding for us when
the devil tries to claim us. When I die I won’t stand alone
before God’s judgment throne. Jesus will be there, pointing
out that I a sinner have been justified by what He did for me.
4. What can we say in response to this? (31)
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
a) Our response? Let us marvel. Let our hearts be filled with
thankfulness for God’s grace shown us in His Son.
b) And let that marveling and thankfulness be not only in our
hearts. Let us show it in our daily Christian living, in our
worship, in our willing service to our God.
c) And let us keep on showing it in our Christian education
efforts for our children in our homes and in our school. We
want our children to know and believe how wonderfully God is
for them. We want them, with us, to marvel at what God has
done for us. But as we marvel, we also need to
II RECOGNIZE MUCH CAN BE AGAINST US (31,33a,34a,
1. About God there is no "if". (31) \35-36)
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
a) While there is no "if" about God being for us, there also is no
"if" about things being against us.
b) It is a fact and not an "if" that problems and difficulties and
sickness, struggling to find a job and to meet expenses, plus
many other things, can oppose us, really hurt, be very painful.
2. The "who" of opposition is caused by sin. (31b,33a,34a)
Who can be against us? -- Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? -- Who is he that condemns?
a) The "who" is our own sinful nature, the devil, the sinful world
around us, all of which oppose our Christian nature and try to
lead us into sin. Because of that sin the devil could quickly try
to charge us, to condemn us, to say we belong to him.
b) That applies not only to us as adults, but equally to our
children who are not exempt from temptations simply because
they are being educated within the walls of our own school.
3. There can be other separating influences. (35-36)
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
a) The devil will use any hardships or troubles of various types to
shake our faith. How many special troubles are facing some in
our congregation right now? We may not realize how many
sitting near us are hurting. If we are older we may not fully
realize the persecution our young people face if they openly
stand up for Jesus in their behavior and with their language.
b) By many of such things the devil will try to separate us from
the love of Christ by telling us it doesn’t pay to be a Christian.
4. What can we say in response to this? (31)
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
a) Our school is one of our responses. Its purpose is not to
isolate our children from the world (that isn’t possible today),
but to strengthen them in faith and knowledge so that with
God’s Word they can better deal with the world around them.
b) For all of us let our response be faithful worship, our religion
an open part of our family and daily life, a trust in God that in
hardships makes us ready to say, "Your will be done."
c) Then we can change the question "Who can be against us?"
to a joy that says, "God is for us!"
III REJOICE THAT GOD GIVES US THE VICTORY (31-32,
1. God has proved He is for us. (31-32) \35a,37-39)
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
a) "All things" does not mean all that we want, like giving
orders to God and expecting Him to deliver whatever we want.
b) That would be like parents giving their children all things they
want. Certainly you parents are smarter than that. And surely
God is smarter than we are and has promised that He in all
things will work only for the good of those who love Him.
2. That is because He doesn’t want us to be lost. (35a)
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
a) God paid a tremendous price for us!
b) He wants no separation from Christ and heaven. That is
why He wants us now to remain strong in our faith in Him. 3. That means through Him we are the victors. (37-39)
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
a) This listing can be summed up with the word "nothing."
Nothing is greater than God and His love for us in Christ.
b) That means we are not losers with God on our side. Instead
God in Christ has made all who believe in Him conquerors, yes
more than conquerors. Not death or anything else we have to
go through in this life can take from us the final victory.
4. What can we say in response to this? (31)
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
a) Let it be that we stay in the Word of God, stay in the faith.
b) Let it be bringing up our own and our congregation’s children
in the true faith. Parents, keep in your prayers the teachers
you are asking to assist you in this.
c) And rejoice that, no matter what the world can throw against
us, God makes His people to be more than conquerors, makes
them heirs of heaven’s glory.
What about a closing caution here? Do you remember what Jesus said once to one of His disciples, to Judas? Judas had had rich opportunities to be with Jesus, to learn from Him, to experience His love. And what was Judas’s response? Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" What a sad response!
What is OUR RESPONSE TO GOD BEING FOR US? Marvel
at His tremendous love in Christ. Stay in God’s Word, train up your
children in His Word, don’t let anything in this life separate us from Him. And rejoice, rejoice that eternity will show that "we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."
Monday, August 1, 2011
PENTECOST 7
July 31/August 1, 2011
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Romans 7:15-25
“HELP!”
1. We are in a fix.
2. That we can’t fix.
3. But Jesus is the fix.
Romans 7:15-25a (NIV 1984) “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
If you have been following along in the readings from Romans each Sunday in July you noticed a distinct progression in how the Holy Spirit had Paul write that letter. Romans 4: We are justified by faith alone. Perfect obedience is credited to us. Romans 5: This is all because of God’s great love for sinners and accomplished by the God/man Jesus Christ. Romans 6: Last week. Our response to free forgiveness. Keeping sinning? No way! Look at what being connect to Jesus through Baptism has done. We get to live for Him. Now, Romans 7. This word of God speaks to the heart of Christians who get all of that, who want to live their lives for Jesus and still struggle with sin. It speaks to our angst and shame of believers who feel bad about sin, who are disappointed in themselves that they can’t do a better job living for Jesus, who perhaps are fighting sins that have addictive characteristics like sins involving drug or alcohol abuse or sexual sinning. It speaks to believers feel shame over weakness, who know and love Jesus and want to give Him the perfect obedience He deserves. Hopefully then this word of God speaks to all of us here and has some wonderful news. But just in case it doesn’t, I need to say, this word of God does not speak to those who are better at seeing the sins of other people than their own. It does not speak to those who are OK with sin in their lives or are coddling some sinful habit or deliberately living in a sinful situation. It that describes you I have a different message from God today. Wake up! You are in great danger. You are either spiritually asleep heading to the death of Hell that knows no end. Or, if you are better at seeing other people’s sins than you own and more bothered about what they do, you are well on your way to becoming the Pharisee that no longer needs a Savior and will find yourself without one. If you don’t care about sin in your life and are OK living that way you are slaying the Holy Spirit who lives in you and He may already be dead to you. Repent while you can!
Hopefully no one here needed to hear that. Hopefully we all belong to that first group that hates sin and loves Jesus so let’s turn our attention back to the word of God before us that could be summarized with the one word Help! “Help!” we cry out to God because we are in a fix. God had the Apostle Paul write these words. If our historians are correct Paul had been a Christian for about twenty years by this time. If you remember, early in his life as Saul he had been an eminent Pharisee who worked very hard at outwardly obeying the law. Now the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of a Savior, forgiveness granted freely through faith in Christ Jesus, had been working in Paul’s heart for a long time. He understood he was saved by grace through faith and he wanted to live his life to show love for Jesus. And yet listen again to his struggle. “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” “Help!” cries Paul. He was in a fix. Sin lived in him and corrupted him, warring against his desire to please Jesus. Weakness was a part of him and so he fell into sin even though he knew better.
Paul was in a fix, the same kind you and I are in. When I teach the Bible Information Class I tell the people that the longer I know Jesus, the better I know Him, the more I love Him, the more sinful I become. Now don’t worry. This is no made for Jerry Springer pastor confessional. Hopefully if you followed me around all day you would not hear me say any sinful words. Hopefully if you followed me around all day you would not see me do any sinful actions. That doesn’t mean there is no sin. It lives in me just like it lives in you and the more you know and love Jesus the more you know the holiness and perfection He deserves and desires and the more you realize how far short you fall from the glory of God. We are the people of God. We know God’s will better than probably 99% of Americans and we still keep sinning. Help! We are in a fix.
Naturally when you are in a fix you try to fix it. We do that with all sorts of things. If you are a piano player and you keep hitting a sour note you practice until you get it right. A basketball player who keeps missing free throws tries again and shoots more to get it right. If you get a bad performance review at work you need to work harder. Naturally that’s what we try with the problem of sin. Our first instinct is to try harder or expect others to worker harder. So if you are struggling with a certain sin you try harder to stop that sin. Let’s say you’ve got a potty mouth that says words that offend God so you try to control your language and you do. It works! But have you noticed that just when you seem to get one sin kicked another one pops up. It’s like playing the arcade whack a mole game. Just when you smack one down another mole pops only it’s not a game and it’s sin, not fake moles. Even trying to run away from sin doesn’t always work. In the late 300’s AD there was a monk known as Simon Stylites. He started a practice known as pole-sitting. This meant living on a small platform atop a pole, all by yourself. The idea was that if you isolated yourself from all the temptations present living with other people you could fix the problem of sin. Of course it didn’t work because no matter where Simon lived sin lived in him. So it is with you and me. Paul explains it further. “Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.”
We are in a fix that we can’t fix. We feel like the Apostle Paul, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death”?
Jesus will! “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Just because we are in a fix that we can’t fix doesn’t mean there is no fix. Help we cry to the Lord and before we called He already answered! God sent Jesus to rescue us from sin. He is the fix for sin. For every heart that feels horrible over sin hear God’s Good News for you. He forgives you. Each and every one of your sins. Even the ones you aren’t aware of. God did not despise you in your weakness like we so often despise others who struggle with sins we don’t. Instead He loved you and had Jesus come. Jesus took every one of your sins on Himself. He was fully punished on the cross. He is the fix for your sin. Your struggles with sin will not last forever. At the time of your death or Jesus’ return on Judgment Day God will kill your old Adam, your sinful nature for good. It will no longer be a part of you. Jesus is your fix. He has taken care of your sin problem even though it is not always evident in your life. It’s what will motivate you to keep trying hard to cut sin out of your life.
You noticed what that moved Paul to do. Thanks be to God. Thanks. It’s thankfulness in our hearts that motivates us to continue to struggle against sin. Even though we know we cannot attain perfection this side of heaven. Even though we know we are in a whack a sin game where when one is beaten down another will come to tempt and vex us, even though we know we can’t fix ourselves, we strive to fight sin because it says Thank you to Jesus. It says, “Jesus I value so much what you have done for me that I will fight that sin you paid for with every bit of strength you provide.” And you know what else? Jesus is your fix there too. He lives in you. Turn to Him in repentance and see that you don’t’ have to go on sinning. Even those sins with addictive qualities or characteristics must bow before the King of kings and Lord of Lords. So sin is not your master. Jesus is. With His help you win. So what else is there to say but, “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Amen.
July 31/August 1, 2011
Pastor Timothy J. Spaude
Text: Romans 7:15-25
“HELP!”
1. We are in a fix.
2. That we can’t fix.
3. But Jesus is the fix.
Romans 7:15-25a (NIV 1984) “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
If you have been following along in the readings from Romans each Sunday in July you noticed a distinct progression in how the Holy Spirit had Paul write that letter. Romans 4: We are justified by faith alone. Perfect obedience is credited to us. Romans 5: This is all because of God’s great love for sinners and accomplished by the God/man Jesus Christ. Romans 6: Last week. Our response to free forgiveness. Keeping sinning? No way! Look at what being connect to Jesus through Baptism has done. We get to live for Him. Now, Romans 7. This word of God speaks to the heart of Christians who get all of that, who want to live their lives for Jesus and still struggle with sin. It speaks to our angst and shame of believers who feel bad about sin, who are disappointed in themselves that they can’t do a better job living for Jesus, who perhaps are fighting sins that have addictive characteristics like sins involving drug or alcohol abuse or sexual sinning. It speaks to believers feel shame over weakness, who know and love Jesus and want to give Him the perfect obedience He deserves. Hopefully then this word of God speaks to all of us here and has some wonderful news. But just in case it doesn’t, I need to say, this word of God does not speak to those who are better at seeing the sins of other people than their own. It does not speak to those who are OK with sin in their lives or are coddling some sinful habit or deliberately living in a sinful situation. It that describes you I have a different message from God today. Wake up! You are in great danger. You are either spiritually asleep heading to the death of Hell that knows no end. Or, if you are better at seeing other people’s sins than you own and more bothered about what they do, you are well on your way to becoming the Pharisee that no longer needs a Savior and will find yourself without one. If you don’t care about sin in your life and are OK living that way you are slaying the Holy Spirit who lives in you and He may already be dead to you. Repent while you can!
Hopefully no one here needed to hear that. Hopefully we all belong to that first group that hates sin and loves Jesus so let’s turn our attention back to the word of God before us that could be summarized with the one word Help! “Help!” we cry out to God because we are in a fix. God had the Apostle Paul write these words. If our historians are correct Paul had been a Christian for about twenty years by this time. If you remember, early in his life as Saul he had been an eminent Pharisee who worked very hard at outwardly obeying the law. Now the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of a Savior, forgiveness granted freely through faith in Christ Jesus, had been working in Paul’s heart for a long time. He understood he was saved by grace through faith and he wanted to live his life to show love for Jesus. And yet listen again to his struggle. “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.” “Help!” cries Paul. He was in a fix. Sin lived in him and corrupted him, warring against his desire to please Jesus. Weakness was a part of him and so he fell into sin even though he knew better.
Paul was in a fix, the same kind you and I are in. When I teach the Bible Information Class I tell the people that the longer I know Jesus, the better I know Him, the more I love Him, the more sinful I become. Now don’t worry. This is no made for Jerry Springer pastor confessional. Hopefully if you followed me around all day you would not hear me say any sinful words. Hopefully if you followed me around all day you would not see me do any sinful actions. That doesn’t mean there is no sin. It lives in me just like it lives in you and the more you know and love Jesus the more you know the holiness and perfection He deserves and desires and the more you realize how far short you fall from the glory of God. We are the people of God. We know God’s will better than probably 99% of Americans and we still keep sinning. Help! We are in a fix.
Naturally when you are in a fix you try to fix it. We do that with all sorts of things. If you are a piano player and you keep hitting a sour note you practice until you get it right. A basketball player who keeps missing free throws tries again and shoots more to get it right. If you get a bad performance review at work you need to work harder. Naturally that’s what we try with the problem of sin. Our first instinct is to try harder or expect others to worker harder. So if you are struggling with a certain sin you try harder to stop that sin. Let’s say you’ve got a potty mouth that says words that offend God so you try to control your language and you do. It works! But have you noticed that just when you seem to get one sin kicked another one pops up. It’s like playing the arcade whack a mole game. Just when you smack one down another mole pops only it’s not a game and it’s sin, not fake moles. Even trying to run away from sin doesn’t always work. In the late 300’s AD there was a monk known as Simon Stylites. He started a practice known as pole-sitting. This meant living on a small platform atop a pole, all by yourself. The idea was that if you isolated yourself from all the temptations present living with other people you could fix the problem of sin. Of course it didn’t work because no matter where Simon lived sin lived in him. So it is with you and me. Paul explains it further. “Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.”
We are in a fix that we can’t fix. We feel like the Apostle Paul, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death”?
Jesus will! “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Just because we are in a fix that we can’t fix doesn’t mean there is no fix. Help we cry to the Lord and before we called He already answered! God sent Jesus to rescue us from sin. He is the fix for sin. For every heart that feels horrible over sin hear God’s Good News for you. He forgives you. Each and every one of your sins. Even the ones you aren’t aware of. God did not despise you in your weakness like we so often despise others who struggle with sins we don’t. Instead He loved you and had Jesus come. Jesus took every one of your sins on Himself. He was fully punished on the cross. He is the fix for your sin. Your struggles with sin will not last forever. At the time of your death or Jesus’ return on Judgment Day God will kill your old Adam, your sinful nature for good. It will no longer be a part of you. Jesus is your fix. He has taken care of your sin problem even though it is not always evident in your life. It’s what will motivate you to keep trying hard to cut sin out of your life.
You noticed what that moved Paul to do. Thanks be to God. Thanks. It’s thankfulness in our hearts that motivates us to continue to struggle against sin. Even though we know we cannot attain perfection this side of heaven. Even though we know we are in a whack a sin game where when one is beaten down another will come to tempt and vex us, even though we know we can’t fix ourselves, we strive to fight sin because it says Thank you to Jesus. It says, “Jesus I value so much what you have done for me that I will fight that sin you paid for with every bit of strength you provide.” And you know what else? Jesus is your fix there too. He lives in you. Turn to Him in repentance and see that you don’t’ have to go on sinning. Even those sins with addictive qualities or characteristics must bow before the King of kings and Lord of Lords. So sin is not your master. Jesus is. With His help you win. So what else is there to say but, “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Amen.
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