July 20-22, 2024 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Mark 6:30-34 “THE COMPASSIONATE CHRIST BLESSES US!”

 

PENTECOST 9

July 20-22, 2024

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Mark 6:30-34

 

“THE COMPASSIONATE CHRIST BLESSES US!”

1.     With work.

2.     With rest.

 

          Last month I had a chance to talk with Darlene Brosseau who served as our church secretary for many years. She is laid up and can’t put any wait on her foot. If you know Darlene, that is a challenge for her. She made it pretty clear she was tired of doing nothing. Now this was right before Chris and I went on vacation and I said that doing nothing sounded pretty good to me right now. We both kind of laughed. She wanted what I had, to be able to be busy with work. I wanted what she had, the opportunity to do nothing, to rest. Thankfully our Lord Jesus, who is actively involved in all of our lives, is watching over us and out for us and He knows what we need. He blesses us with work and rest.

          We see that encouraging truth presented to us in our Gospel lesson. If you have a really good memory and can remember last week’s Gospel lesson Jesus sent His disciples out to work. This is the last part of last week’s reading. “They went out and preached that people should repent. ¹³They also drove out many demons. They anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.” Jesus blessed them with work to do. And they did it. “The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all that they had done and taught.”  Can you imagine their excitement? Thomas, “Lord I don’t have any proof so don’t doubt me, I healed sick people!” Peter, “Lord no one can deny what I did. I told demons to leave and they did. Three times!” James and John likely came in with the report that some people were not receptive and what was Jesus going to do about that? Judas, “People gave me money to support you. How about I hold on to it until we figure out what to do?” and all the rest, eagerly telling all that had happened and how they had told people the Messiah had come. Jesus had blessed them with work, meaningful work to do for Him.

          Just like He blesses you with meaningful work to do for Him. “Now wait a minute,” you might say, “I’m not an apostle, a pastor or a teacher. Jesus hasn’t given me any meaningful work to do.” You are wrong. Our Lord Jesus cares about the spiritual needs of people. Our Lord Jesus cares about the physical needs of people. Our Lord Jesus cares about the emotional needs of people. As you have heard me say before, people are God’s true treasures. He uses other people to provide for the needs of His treasures and give them joys in this earthly life and so there is not a job or vocation a role you can fill that I can think of except, the sinful ones, that is not in one way or another, working for Jesus. Police and fire. Yup. Doctors and nurses. Yup.  Lawyers and judges. Yup. Babysitters and lawnmowers. Yup. Pastors and teachers and janitors. Yup. Retiree—which means you do all kinds of work without pay. Yup. Builders, contractors, plumbers, electricians, bankers, yup, yup, yup and yup and it does not end. “But,” you may counter, “mine really isn’t that important, that meaningful. I’m just a mom. I’m just a kid.” Really? Was a hammer, just a hammer when Jesus wielded it as a carpenter? Was a chisel just a chisel, a saw just a saw? Not in the hands of the Lord Jesus it’s not and you are in the hands of the Lord Jesus. So don’t fall into the me and Darlene trap of wishing to have what the Lord has given to another. Let’s each thank the Lord for the work He gives us. And then follow the encouragement given so that whether we eat, drink or whatever we do, do it all for the glory of God. It’s why we are told in Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, keep working at it with all your heart, as for the Lord and not for people, ²⁴ because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. Keep serving the Lord Christ!” The compassionate Christ blesses us with work.

          And with rest. Look again at our Lord in action with His disciples. “He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” For there were so many people coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat. ³²They went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. ³³But many people saw them leave and knew where they were going. They ran there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. ³⁴When Jesus stepped out of the boat, he saw a large crowd. His heart went out to them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. He began to teach them many things.” Jesus had compassion on his disciples. They had worked hard at the work He had blessed them with. They were tired. So Jesus blessed them with rest. But as is so often the case, rest can be elusive. Many people made sure they were waiting for the weary disciples and their master, Jesus. So Jesus told His disciples to take care of the situation and tell the people to go away. No, He didn’t. He had compassion on the people and the disciples. Jesus did the work. His disciples had a chance to rest.

          Same thing happens in your life and my live. You likely all remember what Jesus promised in Matthew 11:28. “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” That particular rest is the rest from trying to be perfect, the rest from being in a performance-based relationship with God. The rest from guilt over sinning. “You are forgiven,” says Jesus. “You are perfect in the sight of God because of me,” says Jesus. This is the same Jesus who was there at creation when God blessed His creation with physical rest too. Jesus blesses you with rest as well. The question is, will you take it? Will you take the physical rest He has given you or will you fill every waking hour with some scheduled activity so there is no time to enjoy God’s creation or the blessings of people He has placed in your lives or the things that He has placed into your care? Will you take the spiritual rest He has blessed you with, waking up each morning knowing that you are a forgiven sinner with no past and live just today as a present to live to God’s glory or will you listen to the Devil’s voice continually telling you that you are not good enough and all the bad things happening in your life are really God’s just punishment? Will you take the emotional and spiritual rest Jesus blesses you with and stay in your lane, only concerning yourself with those things Jesus has given you to rule over, casting all other cares on Him or will you see yourself as the fixer of all things, the world’s, the country’s, the family’s next Savior? Jesus blesses you with rest! Take it!

          And remember what Jesus is like. Every once in a while, when you are going through one of those tough times that the sin messed world throws at you a well-meaning friend or family member will console you with the words, “I know just how you feel” or “I know how hard this is for you.” Please take those with the intent expressed. Love and concern. The reality is that no other person actually does know how you feel or what you are going through because they are not you. Jesus does.! Jesus knows you better than you know yourself. He has compassion on you. His heart goes out to you. He knows when you need to work. He knows when you need to rest. Whatever He gives and whenever He gives it, work or rest, take it. It’s a blessing to you from the compassionate Christ. Amen.

July 6-8, 2024 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Ezekiel 2:1-7 “THEN THEY WILL KNOW THAT A PROPHET HAS BEEN AMONG THEM!”

 

PENTECOST 7

July 6-8, 2024

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Ezekiel 2:1-7

 

“THEN THEY WILL KNOW THAT A PROPHET HAS BEEN AMONG THEM!”

(Or how you continue to be a blessing to the USA!)

 

          So, every so often I get asked this question: “When did you know you wanted to be a pastor?” My very quick and honest response is, “After my first year as a pastor.” That surprises people, maybe you too. See I always thought I wanted to be a pastor. My parents held up being a pastor as a noble way to live. Not realizing what a sheltered life I had I thought, “What could be easier than being a pastor? You tell God’s people what God says and they do it because that’s what God’s people do, right?” And then I became a pastor. And on the very day I was ordained I became embroiled in the most messy marriage counseling disaster I have ever experienced. I met with him. I met with her. I met with them. I told them what God said. But they didn’t do it! I was shocked. I was flabbergasted. So I kept meeting with him, with her and them. Nothing I tried worked. On top of that her dad was breathing down my neck constantly. He was a strong, aggressive gun toting native Texan. What was I going to do about that bum of a husband? When would there be relief for his sweet little darlin? It got to the point I dreaded seeing him on Sunday and did not look forward to checking my messages or answering my phone. I wasn’t sleeping well. I perseverated on this problem constantly. I remember thinking, “I didn’t sign up for this. All that time in school and now I don’t want to be a pastor if this is what it’s like.” And then God did His God thing. He dropped some information that had been hidden into my lap. I found out that not only do God’s people not always do what God says, they will lie to you too. The marriage was broken. And I learned something that day. I learned to stay in my lane. God had made it clear that He had never asked me to fix marriages other people had broken. He had called me to proclaim His word to those who like it or like it not. And from then on I knew I wanted to be a pastor. And for any of your boys here that God might use as pastors some day, I get paid good money to do this. I feel like I’m double dipping, getting paid earthly treasures while I store up heavenly ones. It’s a fun way to live--as long as you stay in your lane.

          That was something the prophet Ezekiel needed to remember and will be a great source of comfort and peace for you as you continue to be a blessing to your country. Let’s revisit God’s marching orders for Ezekiel. “He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the people of Israe^] to disloyal nations, who have been disloyal to me. They and their fathers have rebelled against me to this very day. ⁴ These children of mine are brazen-faced and hard-hearted. I am sending you to them, and you are to tell them that this is what the Lord God says. ⁵ Then, whether they listen or do not listen—for they are a rebellious house—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.” And to think I was throwing myself a pity party! Up front Ezekiel was told that the people he would serve were disloyal, rebellious, brazen and hard hearted. His job was simple. Tell them what the Lord said. And did you notice the goal? It didn’t matter whether the people listened or did not listen. God had one goal. Then they will know that a prophet has been among them. The people would know what God had to say. It was not Ezekiel’s job to make the people listen. He would not be the one to work repentance. That was God’s work. He needed to stay in his lane, do the work God gave him to do, no more and certainly no less. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says. Pretty simple. If he caught on, I’m sure the work of being a prophet was fun. If he didn’t, like the early version of me, he was frustrated.

          Brothers and sisters, a similar thing is true for each of you and what we do together as a congregation. I’m sure the heart of every person here is the same. We love our country. We are saddened as we see the direction it is going. We want better for her. Also like our good and gracious God, we want souls saved! All of them. We especially want our loved ones, our family members, our friends, those people we actually know, to be saved. But we can’t do that. Only God can save. Only the Holy Spirit changes hearts. That’s not our lane. But we so want it to be, so we get frustrated. We train our children in the way of the Lord, we have the home devotions, we bring them to church and then they stray. They don’t care. They start talking like Americans instead of Christians and the loyalty to Jesus does not seem to be there. We wonder “What was the use?” Our youth get pulled into to thinking they should be a different gender, or explore same sex relationships. That’s not what they were taught! We get frustrated. Pastors try to fix broken marriages. It doesn’t work. Teachers try to clean up the messy homes and poor parenting of their students. It doesn’t work. We get mad. We get frustrated with others, with God. Why? We are out of our lane. We have stepped on God’s toes and told Him, “Move over, let me take care of this, my way.” What is our lane as individual Christians, as a Christian congregation? Same as Ezekiel’s! “You are to tell them that this is what the Lord God says… You are to speak my words to them whether they listen or they do not.” It glorifies God when, you His people, faithfully proclaim His word, His truth, to your family, to your friends, and when a congregation like St. Jacobi continues to proclaim His truth in this community. It gives glory to our God and shows His grace that He has his message of sin pointed out to people and salvation freely given through Jesus to those who listen and to those who don’t.

          And here, friends, is how you are a blessing to our country and will continue to be if you don’t frustrate yourself. Stay in your lane! It is not your job to change the behaviors of your wayward children or grandchildren. It is not your job to make your fellow American citizens love Jesus like you do. You can’t make people believe. You can’t save them. Only Jesus does. Stay in your lane! Maintain a faithful presence to God and His word where you are at. Every family gathering does not need to include a discussion of the blatant sins going on in the family. Somewhere along the line a loving conversation expressing concern and pointing to Jesus needs to happen. After that your very presence will be reminder of what God says and they will know that a prophet has been among them. God is glorified by you. You are a blessing in those people’s lives whether they listen or do not listen.

          And the same thing is true for this congregation. You, the people of this congregation, need to insist adamantly, that we hold to God’s truth in all its parts and proclaim it whether people listen or not. The dwindling desire to be in a right relationship with God that we see in our country is not a reason for us to hunker down and fortress up but all the more reason for us to be bold about being the happy people the Lord has chosen, to be examples of people who rejoice in each day that the Lord has made, in showing people by our words and actions and weekly worship habits that we follow Jesus because we want to, because He loves us, because we are forgiven. That’s what this nation needs. You, your presence as the faithful people of God. Then they will know that God has sent prophets among them. And that is how you will continue to be a blessing to the country you love.

          And who knows what the Lord will do with our faithful presence? That marriage that I told you about failed. I don’t know where those people are anymore. But that strong Texan man, Dad, who kept pressuring me, breathing down my neck with veiled threats and constant questioning? He became one of our greatest friends and biggest supporters and is now enjoying the lasting peace of heaven. We’ll have a great reunion and laugh about our first relationship some day. God can do the same for you, your family that you are worried about and for our country. Don’t judge by what you see happening right now. Be faithful, not frustrated, and you will continue to be a blessing to our nation. Amen.

 

June 8-10, 2024 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Revelation 20:1-6 “CHRIST’S COMPLETE CONTROL OF SATAN”

 

PENTECOST 3

June 8-10, 2024

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Revelation 20:1-6

 

“CHRIST’S COMPLETE CONTROL OF SATAN”

 

          This is going to be hard for you young people to understand but there was a time when you could only watch cartoons on Saturday mornings. Most kids who could get away with it would get up early to watch those once a week treats. As an adult you wonder why. They always ended the same. Dick Dastardly would try his worst but in the end be forced to say, “Curses, foiled again!” Wile e Coyote would always be caught in the traps he set for the Roadrunner. Tweety and Sylvester. Popeye and Bluto. The list goes on and on where the plot lines are the same. Good beats evil. And we loved it. And there is a reason for this. But it goes beyond cartoons and movies. I’ve told you before about my wife, Chris. She’s a cheater. When she gets a book, she reads a few pages to see if it is interesting and then reads the last chapter to make sure it turns out the way she wants. It’s unAmerican, but I understand why she’s doing it. It gets worse. We like to watch Packer games but don’t like watching commercials so most of the time we record them so we can skip the commercials. Once we get started watching the recording all of the sudden she has to go to the bathroom. And she goes upstairs and I’m thinking, “Why is she doing that when we have a perfectly good bathroom downstairs about 20 feet away from the family room.” You know what she’s doing. She’s checking the score real time to see if she wants to watch. It’s not funny. It’s mean. I can tell from her body language and interest or lack thereof in the game how it’s going to end. I don’t like it, but I understand why she does it. Good must triumph over evil. That Packers must beat the Bears!  But you know in one way or another we are all like that. We all love a happy ending. There’s a reason for it. It’s part of the natural knowledge of God. Ever since the Fall into sin in the garden of Eden part of the natural knowledge of God tells people that there is evil and there is good and they want good to win.

          That’s why the book of Revelation is such a wonderful part of the Bible. It’s the last book because almost every picture or symbol used there has already been used by God earlier in the Bible. It’s important to read Revelation the way God intended it to be read. How is that? He tells us right away in the first verse of Revelation (1:1) “The revelation from Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants the things that must soon take place. Christ expressed this revelation by means of symbols sent through his angel to his servant John.” In Revelation God uses symbols and pictures to communicate truth. You are reading it as intended then when you do not take pictures and numbers literally but as a picture that communicates God’s truth. The second thing God said right off the bat is this in Revelation 1:3 “Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and hold on to the things written in it, because the time is near.” You are blessed, made happy, when you read Revelation and hold to what it says. So if you read Revelation and it makes you scared or unhappy, you are either reading it wrong and need to reread verse 1 or you are a follower or Satan who should be scared.

          You are no followers of Satan so let’s see how a right reading of Revelation makes us blessed and happy! The Apostle John who received the Revelation tells us, “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven. He had the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. ² He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, bound him for a thousand ears, ³ threw him into the abyss, locked it, and set a seal on it, so that he could no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years come to an end. After this he must be released for a short time.” It’s a picture. What do you see? A great beast that would be scary except it is chained. Controlled. No new pictures here. The Bible already has identified Jesus as the Angel of the Lord who controls Satan and the abyss as another name for Hell. The 1000 years is not a literal time period any more than Satan is literally a dragon with a literal chain. It signifies a long but already determined timeframe controlled by the Lord. It’s a picture designed to give the Apostle John and every other believer until Jesus comes back comfort. Christ is in complete control of Satan.

          But what about when Satan seems to be having his way? What about the times we know from history where Christians were persecuted and many even killed for their faith? What about what we know is now happening with in Nigeria and other parts of Africa where Christians are being killed for their faith? What about when you live in a country where evil seems to win? Back to the book that you are blessed when you read it! “Then I saw thrones, and those who were sitting on them were given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast and his image, and they did not receive his mark on their forehead and on their hand. They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. ⁵ (The rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years came to an end.) This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Blessed and holy is the one who has a share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them. Instead they will be priests of God and of Christ. And they will reign with him for a thousand years.”

          Remember. Pictures. Symbols. Nothing new in the book of Revelation. The 1000 years is not a literal number but the long time period from the time John received the revelation until Jesus comes back. The beast is a picture of Satan. The mark of the beast is not literal. What is it that signifies someone is following Satan? Rejection of Christ. That’s the sign or mark of the Beast Satan. All of us who were originally dead in our trespasses and sins and made alive in Christ as stated in Ephesians 2 know that the first death is from sin and unbelief and the first resurrection is being brought to faith and when that happens the second death at the end of your life has no power over you. You don’t cease to exist. You are not separated from God. You continue to live reigning with Jesus until He comes back at the end of the world. And when that happens the second resurrection for believers will be when Christ raises our mortal bodies and makes them like His glorious body and the fun really begins. The meaning of this vision is clear, simple and comforting. Christ is in complete control of Satan and everything else and He has set the time when He says enough and blows this world up and makes everything new. Until that time, He is in complete control over Satan and his followers. They are chained, controlled, only allowed to do what the Lord will use for His plans and for good. And even death is nothing to fear for the followers of Christ.

          And now look how we are blessed for reading this! We know what’s going on. Satan is behind the evil in our world, our country our homes. And no matter what he tries, like my dear wife, we have peeked at the last chapter and we know what happens at the end. Jesus wins! So Satan, try your worst. Mess up our country by blinding the minds of unbelievers so that they take pride in defying God and parade their defiance for all to see. Go ahead and twist people’s morality so that they call sin good and God’s good evil. Trick them into thinking the kind of love that is permissiveness of sin and tolerance of perversions is really love when it is actually a kind of hate that keeps people from experiencing the true love of God. We may shake our heads but we will not wring our hands because Jesus has you leashed and you’re going to have to say “Curses! Foiled again!” Satan, try your worst and persecute and murder believers around the world. Try it here. All you do is start the reigning of God’s people early. And they rule over you! Satan, try your worst, trick us into messing up our marriages or destroying our families, put us through hardships, afflict our bodies with diseases like you did with Job, we know what’s going to happen. Our Lord Jesus is going to string you up by that leash he has you on and then make everything new for us.

          Christ is in complete control of Satan. This is good news God wants you to know so you can have comfort and confidence no matter what you see or experience. He wants you to know this so that you will stay faithful even to the point of death. So be faithful even unto death and Jesus will give you the crown of life. Amen.

 

May 18-20, 2024 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: John 15:26-27 “HARVEST TIME!”

 

CONFIRMATION/PENTECOST

May 18-20, 2024

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: John 15:26-27

 

“HARVEST TIME!”

1.     The Holy Spirit does His work.

2.     We do ours.

 

John 15:26-27 (EHV) “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me. ²⁷ And you also are going to testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.”

 

          It’s a big weekend for the St. Jacobi church family. We are celebrating Pentecost. Pentecost is often called the birthday of the Christian Church. As you heard in the reading on that first Pentecost day the Holy Spirit gave special gifts to the Apostles so the Gospel message could be heard by people in their own language. Many were added to the Christian church that day. It’s also Confirmation weekend here at St. Jacobi. 18 more young people will be added to the communicant membership of our church as they make their public promises to faithful to Jesus. Lots to celebrate.

          Now if we were Old Testament believers, we would still be celebrating on Pentecost but something a little different than we are today. We would be celebrating a Harvest Festival. Kind of like an old time Thanksgiving. Because of the affluent times we live in we don’t always realize just how important a successful harvest is and how thankful we can be for a good harvest. Back in Jesus’ time they found it much easer to be thankful that they’d gotten another year’s harvest in safe from drought, insects and raiders. They could live another year.

          It strikes me that the harvest, Pentecost and Confirmation have some similarities. There is work only the God can do and there is work for us to do. Jesus words in John 15 remind us of that. He was with His disciples in the upper room. It was the night he was betrayed, the night before He gave his life on the cross. He was building up those disciples and us, praying for them and us and providing them and us what we need. The Holy Spirit. This is what He told them, “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father—he will testify about me.”

          Can you imagine how Jesus’ disciples must have felt? Jesus had told them He would be leaving them. All the details of what would happen that night, on Good Friday and Easter were too much for them to absorb. The leaving part they probably could. Jesus told them that they would be the ones who would go throughout the world teaching all the things He had taught them. How would that work? How would they know what to say? No worries. The Holy Spirit, called here the Counselor, would do His work. And there are some things only God can do. Just think of harvest time. While there is plenty of work for farmers to do, only God controls the weather, the rain, the temperature and the sunshine. Only God controls the path of the locusts. Only God makes photosynthesis work. So He does His work.

          Same thing for Pentecost and Confirmation. So on Pentecost the Holy Spirit gave the Apostles the understanding of Scripture that they needed. Peter who had poorly wielded a physical sword thinking that was what Jesus needed when He didn’t, all of the sudden is an expert at wielding the sword of the Spirit which is God’s word, making all the connections between Old Testament prophecy and what was happening. Peter’s boldness, which had so often been used to promote self now promotes Christ. The other Apostles speak in the foreign languages they were immediately gifted to speak and are no longer concerned with an earthly kingdom but connecting people to Christ and His eternal kingdom. And there was a harvest of souls for the Lord. Harvest Time! A time to celebrate.

          Just like today is a time for us to celebrate. The Holy Spirit is doing His work among us. Your very presence here today in a church which holds to all of the Bible’s teachings is evidence of that. In case you haven’t noticed being with an only Christ as Savior church and only God’s morality as right and wrong will not get you elected to public office or make you the talk of the workplace in a positive way. Yet here you are. You are here because the Holy Spirit has been working in you, adopting you into God’s family through Baptism, feeding your faith every time you have heard the Word. Now you are part of the harvest of souls for Jesus He has made.

          And you are part of harvesting souls for Jesus too. Just like in a harvest of crops. There is some work people need to do as well. They plant seeds. They cultivate. They weed. They fertilize. They gather in the crops that they didn’t make grow but now get to enjoy. Jesus told the disciples there was some work for them to do for His harvest.  ^“And you also are going to testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.” The job of Jesus’ disciples on Pentecost was to testify, to be witnesses that Jesus is the Messiah, the world’s one and only Savior. They did their job, not just on Pentecost, but also for the rest of their earthly lives until Jesus took them to eternal life they did their work.

          Today on this Confirmation weekend it’s good to remember there is work for us to do. All of you here either were confirmed at one point or are looking forward to it and if you know nothing about it please speak with me after service.  It took work to get to that point, hours spent learning God’s Word. All the time the Holy Spirit was doing His work. Now, like the Apostles of Jesus we have ongoing work to do. Testify. Tell the truth. God’s truth. That all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That Jesus is the only solution. We don’t have to convince anyone of these truths. We do need to testify. Our families need us to. Our community needs us too. Our country needs us to. And then look forward to Harvest Time!

          Like a pebble dropped in the center of a pond the Gospel message proclaimed at Pentecost caused a ripple that has spread and grown and continues to grow. The Holy Spirit does His work. We do ours.  An Old Testament Pentecost was a cause for rejoicing. There was a new harvest. God had done His work. His people had done theirs. And it was time to enjoy. On this Pentecost and Confirmation day we do the same. We thank God for a new harvest of young people that will join us in testifying. We rejoice and celebrate. And we look forward to the time when we will know just how much harvesting God got done through us. Amen.

May 4-6, 2024 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Acts 9:36-42 “AND MANY BELIEVED IN THE LORD!”

 

EASTER 6

May 4-6, 2024

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Acts 9:36-42

 

“AND MANY BELIEVED IN THE LORD!”

1.     Because of Christ’s love in action.

2.     Because of our love in action.

 

          “I don’t have to, but I have to!” That well turned phrase has been running through my head recently. I heard it first from Pastor David Scharf who teaches religion at MLC. He was the emcee at a gathering to raise money for financial aid at LPS. He was speaking broadly about why we live our lives for Christ and specifically why we would want to give of our wealth to encourage students considering being pastors and teachers. “I don’t have to, but I have to!” You all know what he was talking about because you have done it yourselves in small ways and are doing it constantly in big ways. In a small way you present a thank you gift to someone who has helped you. They say, “That is so nice. You didn’t have to do that.” You say, “I know but…” In other words, I don’t have to, but I have to! And that really sums up our lives as followers of Christ. All the things we do from worshipping to volunteering to giving to what we are going to talk about today. I don’t have to! Jesus paid it all. Jesus lived perfectly. Jesus takes me to heaven. There is nothing I have to do. I don’t have to. But I have to. I have to thank Him. I have to live my life for Him. I have to reflect His love. My living faith in the living Lord Jesus will allow nothing less. Neither will yours.

          And as we do that, many will believe in our Lord as we do. We see a great example of that in the reading from Acts. Acts describes the life of the early Christian church and we can learn a lot from our fellow believers. Today we learn from a woman named Tabitha. “In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was always doing good deeds and acts of charity.” In that passage one word jumps out. Always. She was always doing good deeds and acts of charity. And the inquisitive mind wants to know why. Why was she that way? That’s explained by a second word. Disciple. Follower of Jesus. One who has learned from Him. What had she learned? Love. What it means to be loved. She became a believer in the Lord because of Christ’s love in action.

          A word on love because there are all kinds of definitions and understandings for what love is. For many Americans love is a feeling. Being loving is letting the collective opinion of your society determine what is right and wrong. Love is accepting people for who they are. Love is being kind. Some of those understandings have elements of truth. Some are far afield. Christ’s love is not a feeling. It is a commitment. A commitment to do what it takes for people to be cleansed of their sins so that the relationship with God is restored for now and forever. Christ’s love does not let the shifting opinions of society determine what is right and wrong but only God Himself because only He knows what is really best and right and wrong for the people He created. Christ’s love moves Him to accept sinners where they are at, but not leaving them there pursuing a happiness by pursuing sin. No instead the Lord Jesus would consistently tell the tax collectors and sinners, “Go and sin no more!” That’s love.  And Christ’s love moved Him to acts of kindness, providing for people’s needs. And so He came and lived a perfect life of love that followed the commands of God. And since there was no other way, He let Himself be covered with the sins of all people and received the punishment for them in full. And He commissioned every one of His followers, His disciples, to be living Bibles, who, wherever they go and whatever they do, proclaim His truths and His love. And the result of Christ’s love in action is that many believe in the Lord. Tabitha was one. You and I are many more.

          And when followers of Christ who know His love in action show their love in actions many more believe in the Lord. Look at our sister Tabitha! “At that time she became sick and died. After they had washed her, they laid her in an upstairs room. ³⁸Since Lydda is near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, who urged him, “Come to us without delay!”³⁹Peter got up and went with them. When he arrived, they led him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing him the robes and clothing that Dorcas made while she was still with them. ⁴⁰After Peter sent them all outside, he got down on his knees and prayed. Then he turned toward the body and said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹He gave her his hand and helped her stand up. After he called the saints and the widows, he presented her to them alive. ⁴²This became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.”

          We are not told a lot about Tabitha but it is very obvious that she made a huge impression on the people around her. How? She put her love into action. She made robes and clothes for people in need. I doubt she was featured in a news story by Joppa 7 news now. I seriously doubt the movers and shakers of Joppa considered her special. But she was. She put her love into action. She didn’t have to, but she had to. Had to let her love show. I think she knew what many of us overlook that it is the little things that count and the unnoticed acts of service that catch Jesus’ attention. And the attention of other people. Look at how God used her love in action. A crowd gathered because of her death. Through Peter God demonstrated His power over death. And…And…? And many believed in the Lord.

          And the same thing happens when you and I put our love in action. We are all different, with different gifts and the Lord provides us with different ways and opportunities to serve others at different ages in life. When kids are little many of our acts of love will be directed to them. But when nests are empty, other opportunities arise. Maybe it’s taking care of an elderly neighbor’s lawn or grocery shopping or rides to appointments. Maybe it’s visiting with someone who is lonely. Maybe it’s volunteering in a school. Christ is risen! And He lives in each one of us. We hear the voice of Jesus. “Love one another as I have loved you.” Sacrificial love. We hear His apostle John. We can’t say I love God and hate one another without being a liar. Our sinful natures need to hear again that being self-centered, self-serving and selfish is not OK. It is sin. Where there is no love in action, there is no love and Jesus is not in us. But Jesus is in you. So let it show. Look for the little ways to serve God. It will not get your name mentioned in the Bible like it did with Tabitha. The Bible is complete. But since your names are written in the Lamb’s book of life it will get you mentioned by Jesus on the Last Day when He says,” I was lonely and you visited me. I need a ride and you gave it to me.” Love in action. It’s the little things that count. We don’t have to. But we have to! And honestly, because of Jesus, we want to.

          Now, I think you all realize that this Tabitha that was raised by to life died again later. That provided another opportunity for people to gather and if her pastors did their job the people gathered again heard about what made the difference in Tabitha’s life, her Lord Jesus. As you and I show put our love in action there is a part of us that is hoping we will get that opportunity to tell them about Jesus. That might not happen while we live. But what about when we die? One of my favorite Bible stories growing up was Sampson and his great strength. Remember how his life ended? He pulled down the pillars to the temple of the idol Dagon which was filled with God’s enemies, the Philistines. Sampson’s story ends with this phrase, “Thus he killed many more when he died then when he lived.” When you and I put our love in action people notice. They will come to your funeral. If your pastors do their job all these people will hear about Jesus, the only one who turns death into life. Then it may be said about you, “And so she witnessed to many more people in her death than in her life.”  And…And…” And many believed in the Lord. God grant this for Jesus’ sake! Amen.

 

March 16-18, 2024 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: John 12:20-33(EHV) “SUCH COMMITMENT!”

 

LENT 5

March 16-18, 2024

Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: John 12:20-33(EHV)

 

“SUCH COMMITMENT!”

1.     From Jesus, for us.

2.     From us, for Jesus.

 

Commitment! More and more that seems to be a hard thing to find. It used to be that commitment was one of those stereotypes used as the world tried to pit men versus women instead of them being together as God designed things. The man’s fear of commitment in a relationship was the foil for many sitcom episodes. Now fear of commitment or lack of commitment is popping up in other places. Recently whatever algorithm is watching my computer browsing popped up this teaser. “Seventeen reasons people have stopped attending church.” Now you can’t tease a pastor with that tidbit and not expect him to click on it. So I did. There were many different reasons given. One was that Christ’s teachings don’t seem relevant anymore.  But you can really boil most of the reasons given down to this: commitment, or rather not wanting to commit. With the hustle and bustle of family life they didn’t want to commit to being at in person church. People wanted their church to be more accepting of sinful lifestyles and did not want to commit to a church that expected people to actually follow Jesus’ teaching. They also didn’t like to feel they had to make a commitment to support a church through going, serving or giving. I guess it’s not just guys that have commitment issues, is it? But Jesus doesn’t! He is fully committed to you and to me. That’s what the Gospel lesson from John showed us.

The events described there happened on Tuesday of Holy Week. Jewish people from all over the world and converts to the Jewish faith from all over the world were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Some of those converts were from Greece. Somehow they had heard about Jesus and they wanted to see Him. When Jesus’ disciple Andrew told Jesus this He said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. ²⁴Amen, Amen, I tell you: Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it continues to be one kernel. But if it dies, it produces much grain.” Jesus knows. He knows the time has come for Him to die. He knows the purpose. Like a kernel of wheat must “die” to produce the wheat that will follow, He must die so that others can follow Him to the Father. But this will be no ordinary death. He will not just die physically but die spiritually as he will take on Himself the filthy weight of the sins of all people. And how awful this is we will never understand but it helps us understand Jesus when He says, “Now my soul is troubled.”

And here is where the weak willed human being would have the chance to back out, to demonstrate a lack of commitment. “You know I really like you but… But Jesus is not weak willed. Such commitment!  “And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, this is the reason I came to this hour. ²⁸Father, glorify your name!” A voice came from heaven: “I have glorified my name, and I will glorify it again.” ²⁹The crowd standing there heard it and said it thundered. Others said an angel talked to him. ³⁰Jesus answered, “This voice was not for my sake but for yours. ³¹“Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be thrown out. ³²And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” ³³He said this to indicate what kind of death he was going to die.” Jesus says, “Bring it on!” His Father voices approval. Both tell us that Jesus’ commitment will result in glorifying God’s name, His reputation. First by putting Satan, the God wannabe who thinks he is the ruler of this world, in his place. By being lifted up on the cross Satan’s damage would be undone. His hold on people and ability to accuse them of sin would be taken away as Jesus took away the sins of the world. Satan is exposed for the liar and fake that he is. Jesus’ commitment to us and all others did not waver. Whatever the cost to Him, whatever the sacrifice needed, he would make it. Such commitment by Jesus for us.

And that commitment by Jesus would glorify God in another way. It changes people and changes hearts. Jesus said His commitment would draw all people to Him. What, you mean people would be committed to Him? Yes! Absolutely. The information in the worship summary box is 100% correct. The heart of Christianity is God’s devotion and commitment to us. A commitment so strong it put God, Jesus, on the cross. It is not our commitment to Christ that is at the center of Christianity but Christ’s commitment to us. At the same time Christ’s commitment to us does something. It draws people to Him. Those Greeks who asked Philip to see Jesus were drawn to Him. The disciples of Jesus were drawn to Him. Yes, in a couple of days their commitment to Him would prove shaky. Peter would deny. Others would run away. And yet when Jesus rose from the dead proving He is the Christ and the Devil had been defeated they responded with a commitment that showed as they went away rejoicing when they were whipped for talking about Jesus, that saw then traveling from Judea to Samaria to the ends of the earth to be His witnesses, that saw all of the but John dying a martyr’s death rather than denying their commitment to Jesus. John just died in exile. And millions, yes billions of followers of Christ who have never had the privilege of seeing Jesus face to face have shown commitment by striving to willingly follow His commands, by gathering to glorify His name publicly and by working together to be His witnesses to a world that needs Him as Savior whether they know it or not.

This is no surprise. Jesus said, “Anyone who loves his life destroys it. And the one who hates his life in this world will hold on to it for eternal life. ²⁶If anyone serves me, let him follow me. And where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.” Followers of Jesus are different. They understand this life for what it is. Temporary. Filled with blessings but not always pleasant. Imperfect in so many ways. So they don’t love it. They love eternal life with Jesus. So they serve Him knowing the best is yet to come and their service is expressed in commitment to Him. Yes, our commitment is imperfect and shaky and sometimes in our own ways we deny or run away. But Jesus keeps drawing us back to Himself with His unwavering love and commitment. That’s why you schedule time to publicly worship Jesus when many of your fellow Americans think that’s insane. That’s why, when able, you give your time and abilities so that our ministry can be the best it can be, not to glorify Jacobi’s name but Jesus’ name. That’s why you give your offerings so we and many others may continue to be taught to obey everything He has commanded us whether that’s popular or not. And to do that for Jesus is a privilege.

I can’t help but think of one your St. Jacobi brothers who is now a saint in heaven, Clarence Benz. By the time I got here Clarence was no longer physically able to make it to church so we pastors would visit him. He had some kind of throat condition or was taking some kind of medicine with the result that his throat was constantly raw. I remember the first several times I gave him communion and when he drank the wine we use he would wince and his eyes water as it burned going down. I would ask if he was OK. Finally one time I said, “Clarence, we can water that wine down. It does not have to burn.” “No!” said Clarence very adamantly. “If my Lord Jesus can take the burn of Hell for me the least I can do is take a little burn for Him.” Kind of sounds like commitment, doesn’t it. Oh and that first reason some gave for no longer attending church? That Christ’s teachings are no longer relevant. Ask Pat Betram about that the next time you see him. Amen.

March 6, 2024 Pastor Timothy J. Spaude Text: Luke 23:1-12 (EHV) “GOD ON TRIAL: Misconceptions!

 

MIDWEEK LENT 4       March 6, 2024      Pastor Timothy J. Spaude

Text: Luke 23:1-12 (EHV)

 

“GOD ON TRIAL:

Misconceptions!

 

          We have been following the theme GOD ON TRIAL for our special worship services. If you have watched any TV lawyer shows like Perry Mason or Law and Order you know that there can be misrepresentations of the truth and misconceptions about witnesses and defendants. When God gets put on trial the same thing happens. Its roots go back to the Garden of Eden. God created Adam and Eve in His image. Then the God wannabe, Satan, tempted Adam and Eve to try to be more than they were, to be like God. They fell for it. And they fell. And since that time sinful man has been trying to create God in our image. So many ideas of what God should be like and God should do. And as you heard when our Lord Jesus was put on trial the same misconceptions are thrown around.

          Luke tells us a whole group of them took Jesus to Pilate. This whole group was the chief priests, the experts in the law, the members of the Sanhedrin. What were their misconceptions about Jesus? “We found this fellow misleading our nation, forbidding the payment of taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” First misconception. Jesus is misleading the nation. Why would they say that? Because Jesus was leading the people away from the Pharisees and teachers of the law. That was true. The whole assembly had been leading the nation away from the God. They were the misleaders. They had replaced God’s truth and holy law which revealed the need for a Savior with their teachings and a keepable law so they needed no Savior. What Jesus was actually doing was correctly leading the nation back to God and salvation. Second misconception. Jesus forbids paying taxes to Caesar. I don’t even know what to do with that one. They had heard Jesus say, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.” Third misconception. Jesus claims to be Christ, a king. Partly true. He is Christ. But he is not a king. He is the King and not of puny earthly kingdoms but of the entire universe. But this group’s misconceptions about Jesus really started with misconceptions about themselves. They thought they were righteous on their own. They thought their good deeds were good enough. The didn’t think they were sinners. And there is no worse misconception than thinking you are right with God and can get to heaven on your own. That misconception is what led to their other misconceptions about Jesus. They didn’t need a Messiah to save them from their sins so Jesus couldn’t be the God sent Savior.

          But the whole assembly was not the only ones who had misconceptions about Jesus. Pilate did too. “Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” “It is as you say,” Jesus replied. ⁴ Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” Pilate’s misconception? Jesus is a nobody who will not affect anyone’s life. Jesus correctly answered Pilate’s question. He is the King of the Jews and all people. But Pilate could not get past what his eyes saw. A simple Jewish man, despised and hated by his own people. A nobody. So Pilate wanted to let Jesus go. But the whole assembly would not have it. They put more pressure on. “But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people, teaching all through Judea, beginning from Galilee all the way here.”

          Pilate saw an out. If Jesus was from Galilee he wasn’t Pilate’s problem. Herod the puppet king of Galilee could deal with him! So Pilate shipped Jesus off to Herod. I wonder if this Herod had any idea that his father, also named Herod, had tried to kill Jesus by murdering all the baby boys in Bethlehem when Jesus was born. At any rate Luke tells us that “When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad. For a long time, he had wanted to see him, because he had heard many things about him. He hoped to see some miracle performed by him.” Herod’s view of Jesus? An entertainer, kind of like a court jester only better. He could do miracles. Only he didn’t for Herod. Silence, even when falsely accused. Disappointed Herod got what entertainment value he could out of Jesus, having his soldiers mock and ridicule Jesus before sending Him back.

          All these misconceptions about who Jesus is what He should do. Sadly, they are still around today. Sometimes they creep into our own hearts. Jesus, we like how you tell us to love all people and be kind that’s a message everyone wants to hear and is popular. But that only through you can people get to heaven, that any use of sexuality outside of the one-man one-woman marriage is sin, that our bodies aren’t our own and we can’t do whatever we want or kill another life growing inside of us? That makes people mad at us. Are you misleading us, Jesus? Lord, I have prayed and prayed to you and you still have not done what I asked/told you to do. Are you really a king? Or are you a nobody? Jesus, there are so many cool things in our world. I can stream movies and shows and play video games. They all entertain me. Shouldn’t worship of you be really about entertaining me too? All misconceptions.

          So many misconceptions of Jesus as God was put on trial. I did hear one correct one in the word of God before us. The whole assembly as they tried to pressure Pilate said, “He stirs up the people!” He stirs up the hearts of His people. Brothers and sisters, you are Jesus’ people!  You know why He stays silent when falsely accused and does not correct every misconception made about Him with the force and power He commands as the Son of God. Here it’s because He wants to go to the cross for you. He is willing to let it seem like people have power over Him so He can show His great love for you by taking away the offense of your sins through His sacrifice. He puts up with misconceptions that sometimes creep into our minds, because He understands our weakness and the hurt living in this sinful world brings. He allows people today to try to make Him in their image, He refuses to entertain with miracles that demonstrate His power because He wants people whose hearts are tied to Him through His word. That’s you. People stirred up by His teaching. May the Holy Spirit bless us so that people who watch us and listen to us will have no misconceptions about what we think of Jesus. Our Lord and Savior. Amen.

 

 

Luke 23:1-12 (EHV) “The whole group of them got up and brought him before Pilate. ² They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this fellow misleading our nation, forbidding the payment of taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” ³ Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” “It is as you say,” Jesus replied. ⁴ Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.” ⁵ But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people, teaching all through Judea, beginning from Galilee all the way here.” ⁶ When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. ⁷ When he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days. ⁸ When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad. For a long time, he had wanted to see him, because he had heard many things about him. He hoped to see some miracle performed by him. ⁹ He questioned him with many words, but Jesus gave him no answer. ¹⁰ The chief priests and the experts in the law stood there, vehemently accusing him. ¹¹ Herod, along with his soldiers, treated him with contempt and ridiculed him. Dressing him in bright clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. ¹² Herod and Pilate became friends with each other on that day. Before this they had been enemies of each other.”