Proper 7 - Pentecost 2

Proper 7

23 June 2019

Luke 8:26–39—

Jesus heals a demoniac 

A sick and suffering slave. Next, a dead man. Followed by a prostitute.  Now, today, a lunatic. Controlled by demon possession. Luke piles one story on top of another showing how Jesus is willing to include those who are seen as contaminated and corrupted. They are the unclean.

A Defeated man

A nameless man has been exiled to the margins of human existence. He's filthy. Naked in public. He can't control his speech. He's so violent that people can't come near him. All attempts to restrain him have failed. He exhibits the most common form of self-harm even today — self-mutilation. He suffers from demon possession.

This mad young man, in an unclean town, a town on the far side of the Sea of Galilee, in which Jewish people made their living by herding swine.   Now Jewish law tells us the pig is an unclean animal.  But the town has found it profitable. To raise them and then sell them to their pagan neighbors who were pork eaters. 

The maniac is untouchable.  The people of the town had decided that he was good for nothing.  His uncontrollable rages have brought them to drastic measures.  They have put him in chains and chained him among the dead. In the town cemetery. Where his roaring would bother the living less.  Even so, he manages to escape now and then and takes off into the woods.  Why does he return? Because they go after him.  Because there is nowhere else to go.  Because hunger brings him back to the food, they will supply him. 

"My name is Legion!" this homeless man screamed. "For we are many." Tortured in body, mind, and spirit, he embodied the scope of human suffering. For a Roman "legion" consisted of 5,000 soldiers.

And so, his community did what we still do today. They banished the man. To the safe and solitary margins of society.

A delivered man

When Jesus arrives by boat from across the Sea, there is no crowd waiting to greet Him.   But Jesus and the disciples can hear the fellow in the cemetery.  They go to him.  By the end of Jesus’ time with him, the young man has been restored to sanity. He is calm. And he rejoices in his acceptance by the Savior.

But something else has happened.  The demons and the madness have gone out of the young man. And, at Jesus’ direction, they enter into a large herd of swine.  The swine, in horror at their own corruption by unclean spirits, run to the edge of the cliff.

They jump into the Sea and are drowned.  Now the people come running. They crowd around. Horrified at the loss of their valuable swine.  And they are terrified of Jesus – so terrified they ask Him to leave.

A directed man

They ask Jesus to leave. He abides by their request. But the man who was freed from his long and lonely days of isolation and terror went about telling anyone who would listen how much God had done for him. And we need to be clear on this. It is, “How much God has done…” not what you have accomplished. This is not an extended version of show and tell. We bear the message of freedom from evil, dark powers. But it is Christ who secures this freedom.

Jesus seeks not only to cure the "disease" -- the demon-possession; but also to heal the illness -- to restore this man to the community from which he has been estranged. He is to go home.

The man who sat at Jesus' feet and who learned from Him wants to go with them. And what are his options? He is standing on the beach with Jesus. The disciples in the boat are in front of him. The townsfolk who banished him to the graveyard are at his back.

He wants to go with the One who healed him. He wants to be with Jesus.  The One who wasn't afraid to come near him. The One who didn't walk on the other side of the street. He wants to go with his new teacher and Lord. He wants to learn more about the kingdom of God. He's ready to follow Jesus. There's room in the boat.  And he'll leave without looking back!  There's really no one to say good-bye to. But Jesus says, “No!”

To others along the way, Jesus had issued the invitation, "Come, and follow Me." But to this one He says, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you."

This isn't simply a story of one man's healing.  It’s a story of one man's calling. Jesus does bid the man to follow; but in this case, the following involves staying rather than leaving. Jesus does not reject the man's application to be a disciple. He accepts it fully. “I even have a first appointment all lined up for you,” Jesus says from the boat. “Your congregation…is standing right behind you. Now, go and tell....”

Words – 855

Passive Sentences –6%

Readability –83.2

Reading Level – 3.9

-Schnorr Von Carolsfeld woodcuts, ‘Jesus Drives out Demons © WELS permission granted for personal and congregational use

Pentecost 2 - Proper 6

Romans and the Reformation 

A Series of Sermons Commemorating the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation 

18 June 2017 – Proper 6 - Romans 5:6-15

“God Demonstrates His love for us”

In his letter to the Romans, Paul addresses a predominantly Jewish audience. Jews living in Rome in the 1st Century understood life with the thought that there were, at any given time, three groupings of men living on planet earth. They believed that humanity was divided into three categories of class; the “righteous” (Tzadikim Nistarim) “good men” (Benim) and finally, “the sinners” or ‘evil-ones.’ (Resha’im) [1]  

The “righteous” were in a category all their own. They needed no help from God. They were already perfect, holy and pure. The world was still intact and would not spin out of control because there were at least a few righteous men on the earth at any given time. Sodom and Gomorrah were utterly destroyed because the Lord could not find any righteous men living there. Such righteous ones were men such as Abraham, Enoch, Elijah, and Job just to name a few. 

Those reading Paul’s letter for the first time, were very serious concerning their faith. Through ritual, a strict following of the law and by holy living they remained ethical, moral, principled, “good men.” Their goal was simple. To be better.

The rest were simply good for nothing. They were trolls. They were “the dirties” of the world. They were beyond help. They were to be shunned.  They were “the ungodly.” They were “helpless,” “sinners.” Beyond God’s mercy. Stay clear of them, they were warned.  They were to be avoided. At all costs.  So imagine the reaction that must have happened when Paul’s audience heard these remarkable words. 

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8) This turned their moral compass upside down! It literally rocked their world!     

So how do you understand words such as love, mercy, and grace? The worldly do not grasp what true love means. God’s love for us reveals true love. Only by knowing Christ’s mercy are you able to show mercy. Again, this is not a natural characteristic of sinful humankind. By God’s grace, every believer not only knows these divine words but also believes them and lives them.  "When you were dead in your sins and in the un-circumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins." (COLOSSIANS 2:13). Thus God reveals His love for us.

“GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS OWN LOVE FOR US…”

I. While we were sinners, 

II. Christ has died for us.

I. WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS

A. Every believer lives a similar life to every other human being. Sin infects everyone’s lives. “While we were still sinners…” Verse 8b Paul comes straight to the point. No one can escape the effects of sin that affect all of mankind.

B. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” Paul includes himself as a sinner when he uses the word “we”. Sin also lived in him. Sin is destructive. Humans are made “powerless”. No one can save himself. Sin is evil. “Ungodly” describes every sinful thought, word, or deed of any and every believer.

C. “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die.” Remember. The righteous need no one to take their place. The good might find a substitute in their place. The selfishness of sin means that very few are willing to sacrifice their lives for others.

D. Some try to deny that sin exists. Others try to explain away sin. Still others try to redefine the word sin. No matter what people try to do with sin, sin does not and will not go away. 

The old song sings. “Ain't no sunshine...Only darkness. Every day.”  Sin is still alive and well in our very own lives. Ever since the first sin of Adam no one can, will, or is able to escape sin. 

Each of us has inherited a sinful nature from our very first parents. We are not born into this world as friends of God but as enemies. "Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies." (PSALM 58:3). Life begins at conception. Sin starts with life. We are sinful.

E. By now we have come to realize the depth of destruction that sin causes in the lives of every living and breathing person on earth. The world drastically changed forever after sin entered the world. God promised Adam and Eve (and all mankind) a Savior. (GENESIS 3:15). 

Because of sin death entered the world. God drove Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden so they would not eat from the tree of life. In the end, who would really want to live on this globe in this sinful life forever? "For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son--both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die" (EZEKIEL 18:4). No one can escape death. Death is a result of sin. Man dies because man sins.

F. God’s law reminds each one of us of our sinfulness. No one likes to hear how bad they are. We do not want to have all of our sins brought up for us to remember. Time and again, God’s law reminds each of us that we daily fall short of the glory of God. We sin daily. We sin much. Even worse, our sinful nature delights in doing that which is evil. "Wicked men…whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil." (PROVERBS 2:12-14). Such are our sinful lives. 

All too often we leave the path of righteousness. All too often we walk in dark ways, delight in doing wrong, and rejoice in evil. We are still sinners. “GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS LOVE FOR US…” We are still, always sinners. Christ has died for us.

II. CHRIST HAS DIED FOR US

A. “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” Believers as sinners are “powerless”. Believers acting as sinners are “ungodly”. Powerless to               save ourselves God sent his son, Christ, to die for sinners. 

B. Paul explains the depth of the meaning of Christ’s death for these believers who are powerless.

  Verse 8b: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” This is God’s great love for all. “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!” Verse 9 Jesus’ blood cleanses all people from sin, God’s anger is gone.

C. “For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Enemies of God are now made right (reconciled) with God. Enemies are now saved by grace. “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Believers’ lives are changed forever!

D. Once again, we begin to approach the depth of the meaning of God’s great love for each and every one of us. Our sins condemn us. We are powerless to save ourselves. Every day we sin against God with terrible thoughts, wicked words, and evil actions. The good that we ought to do and do not do is also sin. In spite of all of this our God loves us and forgives us. "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (ISAIAH 53:6).

E. Graciously our loving Lord does not keep a record of our sins. The fact is that the Lord God Almighty sees sin as sin. In God’s eyes all sins are the same. Only in man’s thinking are there different degrees of sin. Big sins, small sins, worse sins, and not so bad sins are terms we use to describe sin. God’s term for missing the mark is simply sin. God’s forgiveness for our sins is simply complete. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." (1 JOHN 1:7). Only by the blood of Jesus is there forgiveness. This holy blood of Jesus forgives all sin: not a few, some, or many but ALL sin. God shows us his great love

F. Like every other believer our lives are dramatically and drastically changed forever. “Powerless, ungodly” sinners are freely given complete forgiveness. Consider God’s great love for us undeserving and wretched sinners. We can never, ever repay the debt of love that God has shown to each and every one of us. Nor does God expect it. Our lives are changed. "Jesus Christ gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own; eager to do what is good." (TITUS 2:14).

This is the story of grace. Christ gained more than Adam lost. You are restored back to God through the work of Jesus. 

As believers we can turn from that which is evil and be eager to do what is good. This makes all the difference in the world and for the world today. You are now the shining lights in today’s darkness. We do not deserve God’s great love. We cannot earn God’s mercy. It is only by the free grace of God that we are saved. We are sinners, always. 

We are sinners, forgiven of all sins. This is God’s great love to us and for us. This is also God’s great love to and for all humankind. 

The difference for believers is that we know we are sinners who have been freely forgiven purely out of God’s divine love, mercy, and grace. "But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved." (EPHESIANS 2:4, 5) “GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS OWN LOVE FOR US…” Even though we are sinners. Christ has still died for us.

[1] http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/12758-right-and-righteousness

Words – 1,815
Passive Sentences –8%
Readability – 82.4%
Reading Level – 4.3

Time in the Word - Pentecost 2

Jesus Has Defeated the Devil and Released Us from the Bondage of Sin and Death

The devil deceived us, enticing us to disregard and disobey the Word of God, and driving us to hide “from the presence of the Lord God.” But the Lord in His mercy promised a Savior, who would set Himself against the devil on our behalf (Gen 3:8–15). The “stronger Man” come, the incarnate Son of God, conceived and born of the Woman. He “first binds the strong man,” Satan, by atoning for the sins of the world, thereby removing the condemnation of the Law and the fear of death (Mark 3:27). Now He plunders the devil’s house by calling all men to repent. Though He appears to be “out of His mind” (Mark 3:21), He fulfills the will of God and makes of us His own brothers and sisters. Therefore, “we do not lose heart,” despite the suffering, sin and death that we experience in this fallen world. “He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus.” By His grace, we are “being renewed day by day.” For the Gospel is daily bringing us into His presence, not for punishment, but for “an eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor 4:14–17).

Collect for Pentecost 2: Almighty and eternal God, Your Son Jesus triumphed over the prince of demons and freed us from bondage to sin. Help us to stand firm against every assault of Satan, and enable us always to do Your will; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer for deliverance from sin: We implore You, O Lord, in Your kindness to show us Your great mercy that we may be set free from our sins and rescued from the punishments that we rightfully deserve; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord,

Prayer for pardon, growth in grace, and divine protection: O Lord, our God, we acknowledge Your great goodness toward us and praise You for the mercy and grace that our eyes have seen, our ears have heard, and our hearts have known. We sincerely repent of the sins of this day and those in the past. Pardon our offenses, correct and reform what is lacking in us, and help us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Inscribe Your law upon our hearts, and equip us to serve You with holy and blameless lives. May each day remind us of the coming of the night when no one can work. In the emptiness of this present age keep us united by a living faith through the power of Your Holy Spirit with Him who is the resurrection and the life, that we may escape the eternal bitter pains of condemnation.

By Your Holy Spirit bless the preaching of Your Word and the administration of Your Sacraments. Preserve these gifts to us and to all Christians. Guard and protect us from all dangers to body and soul. Grant that we may with faithful perseverance receive from You our sorrows as well as our joys, knowing that health and sickness, riches and poverty, and all things come by permission of Your fatherly hand. Keep us this day under Your protective care and preserve us, securely trusting in Your everlasting goodness and love, for the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord,

Monday, 4 June 2012—Psalm 28:7–9; Antiphon: Psalm 28:6—Sunday’s Introit is a portion of a psalm by David, who, in the midst of adversity, realizes that he is unable to protect and preserve himself. His salvation is dependent on the Lord. Though we may not be facing the kind of earthly enemies which David did, as sinners, the preaching of the Law shows us that we are unable to save ourselves from our enemies: the devil, the world, and even our own flesh. With David, we exult in the Lord, who has brought us salvation from the consequences of our sin and continues to protect us from our enemies.

Tuesday, 5 June 2012—Psalm 130—Psalm is a well-known penitential psalm. The superscript reads A Song of Ascents; that is, it was sung by pilgrims as they went up to Jerusalem for a festival observance. By the singing of this psalm, they reminded each other that, with the Lord, there is forgiveness, and encouraging one another to hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with Him is plentiful redemption.

Wednesday, 6 June 2012—Genesis 3:8–15—When Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, their relationship with God their Creator changed entirely. No longer did they wish to be in His presence; like disobedient children, they sought to be anywhere but. Nevertheless, the Lord sought them out. And when He cursed the serpent and the devil who spoke through the serpent, He made sure Adam and Eve also heard the blessing—the promise of a Deliverer, one who would redeem them from the consequence of their sin: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel. This promise is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, our Savior, who defeated the devil by His death on the cross, and claims us as His own.

Thursday, 7 June 2012—2 Corinthians 4:13—5:1—For the next several weeks, our Epistle readings will be taken from St Paul’s second letter to the Church at Corinth. This was a congregation which was beset by many problems; among them were false teachers in the congregation who questioned Paul’s authority and used the preaching of the Gospel solely for their own monetary benefit. It seems that they pointed to Paul’s hardships and tribulations as indicating his lack of authority. Paul looks past the physical and points to the saving message of the Gospel. That is what is important: the message, not the man. Paul looks forward to eternity in heaven, even as he knows that the Gospel will continue to be proclaimed.

Friday, 8 June 2012—Mark 3:20–35—Jesus faces opposition from His family, who think that He is delusional, and also—especially—from the religious leaders of His day, who accuse Him of being possessed by the devil. Jesus shows the illogic of their accusation, and then turns the tables: it is not He that is under the dominion of Satan, but they, for they have rejected the Deliverer promised in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:15). The Holy Spirit is sent forth into the world to proclaim the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ; those who reject Him blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and consign themselves to everlasting punishment.

Saturday, 9 June 2012—How are we to withstand the evil schemes of the devil? The hymn of the day, Rise! To Arms! With Prayers Employ You (LSB #668), gives the answer: Pray to the Lord that He would give us the strength to withstand Satan. And so He has: we have the Word of God, the weapon glorious. The Word of God arms us for spiritual battle, for it tells of Christ, who has already won the victory.

Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House

The Revd Jeffrey M. Keuning, Pastor St John's Evangelical Lutheran Church Csey IA and Zion Lutheran Church., Decter, IA

Artwork by Ed Riojas, ©Higher Things

Pentecost 2 - Proper 8

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
Friedheim
10653 N – 550 W
Decatur, IN 46733
260.547.4248
www.zionfriedheim.org

A 21st Century Parish with a 1st Century Faith
Acts 2:42

Celebrating our 173rd Year
Chartered February 25, 1838
June 26, 2011
Pentecost 2- Proper 8
Proper 8 (26 June—2 July)
Almighty God, by the working of Your Holy Spirit, grant that we may gladly hear Your Word proclaimed among us and follow its directing; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Matthew 10:34 - Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

The one who receives a prophet receives a prophet’s reward. Though he was born Prince of Peace, Jesus shocks us when He says he did not come to bring peace but a sword. Peace is not always possible. There are times when war is inevitable. Christians dare not live at peace with Satan. Stand for the truth, justice, and liberty and enemies will cluster around you. Jesus was and still is a controversial figure. He makes us choose sides in the battle of good and evil

King Ahab called Elijah the “troubler of Israel” because he demanded justice and obedience to God. Christ as a troubler in his day — he cleansed the temple, broke the Sabbath law by healing on it, and challenged the religious leaders for their hypocrisy and bigotry. In our day, Jesus is the troubler of our society. He is not content with a status quo based on injustice and falsehood. When conditions are evil, Jesus comes not to bring peace but a sword — conflict, fighting, dissension. Out of this conflict will come genuine peace when truth and justice triumph. Jesus will have no part in the violence of our day because it is the product of hatred. The controversy and conflict result when truth challenges falsehood, right faces wrong, and love opposes hatred.

Jesus brings a sword of conflict into our world.
1. When truth confronts error.
A. It was Pilate who asked, “What is truth”? There are many today asking this same question. Is there anything as absolute true? Are there moral absolutes? If there is absolute truth, where does one find it? Is truth relative?
B. It was Jesus who said, “I am the way the truth and the life.”
1. He is not one option among many.
2. He is the only solution to the world’s need. “…no one comes to the Father except by Me.”

Transition: Jesus brings a sword of conflict into our world when truth confronts error. He also brings conflict when right opposes wrong.

2. When right opposes wrong.
A. Jesus as the bearer of divine truth condemns all falsehood. Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Matthew 5:17
1. He was made under the law - But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Galatians 4:4
2. He lived in perfect obedience to the law and received the Father’s favor. Matthew 17:5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" 1Peter 2:21-23. To this, you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls
3. He fulfilled the law by His holy life and sacrificial death. Hebrews 9:27-28 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

B. Falsehood can not stand to the scrutiny of what is right. Armed with the truth of the Gospel and the message of Christ and Him crucified is the message the world needs to hear. It is the only message we have to proclaim to this world.

Transition: Jesus brings a sword of conflict into our world when truth confronts error and when right opposes wrong. He also brings conflict when love challenges hatred.

3. When love challenges hatred.
A. Jesus predicted, “You will be hated on account of Me.” We sometimes must bear the burden of the faith for being faithful to Christ. But love champions hate. We love and act as Christ lived and loved.
B. Yet we have no fear. We need not fear for Christ goes before you to lead you according to His will and way.
1. “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world”
2. “I have overcome the world”
Have now fear little flock you have overcome the world. Greater is He who is in you then he who is in the world for Christ has overcome the world.

Pentecost 2 - mid-week

“Four statements concerning a great faith”
What does it take to have a great faith? Jesus, upon encountering a Roman Centurion remarks “I have not found such great faith even in Israel” (V. 9) How can this be. Let’s consider four statements pertaining to a great faith.
I. A statement or word of merit. The Centurion remarks, “I don’t deserve to have you come under my roof...”
A. This man had a great faith for he had a realistic view of Himself. He knew that he was a sinner.
He knew that he deserved nothing from Jesus. Luther put it this way in his explanation of the 5th Petition of the Lord’s Prayer: “We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor on their account deny our prayer; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them”. But then he concludes: “but that He would grant them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. So will we also heartily forgive, and readily do good to, those who sin against us”. [1]
B. A great faith requires all to acknowledge our own unworthiness before God. “...for we daily sin much and indeed deserve nothing but punishment” No one can make excuses for their sin. We can’t blame it on our environment. We can’t claim duress, or temporary insanity. Of all the things that we own it is our sin, which is our own personal possession. A great faith acknowledges sin and confesses it before God. Denial is not an option. Confession is mandatory.
Transition: A great faith requires a statement of merit. Confession is an obligation. We also need a statement of worth.
II. A statement or word of worth. The Centurion continues “I do not consider myself worthy”
A. The prodigal son prayed, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son. (Luke 15:21) Jacob, as he prepared himself to meet Esau after a long separation filled with years of hostility and separation prayed to the Lord: “I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness You have shown Your servant...” (Genesis 32:10a)
B. How should you and I pray? We pray: “Almighty God, our Maker and Redeemer, we poor sinners confess unto Thee that we are by nature sinful and unclean and that we have sinned against Thee by thought, word and deed.
Wherefore we flee for refuge to Thine infinite mercy, seeking and imploring Thy grace for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ”[2]
Transition: A great faith requires a statement of merit, it requires a statement of worth, it requires a statement and a word of convenience
III. A statement or word of convenience. “Don’t trouble yourself”
A. Acknowledging and confessing his own sin and unworthiness this Roman Centurion teaches us an important lesson. When we approach God we must pray “Thy will be done Lord, Thy will be done.”
B. Prayer cannot be used to manipulate God or to force our will upon Him. We are but mere beggars before God. The man knew that he stood guilt before the Lord of life. There was no merit within him. A great faith realizes that we are obligated to God – that He is not to be used merely to satisfy our latest whim or fancy.
C. The amazing thing about the grace of God found in Jesus Christ is that he grants us His perfect will in spit of our sin. Jesus reminds us: “Which of you father, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Sprit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:11-13)
Transition: A great faith requires a word or statement of merit, of worth, of convenience and also a word of trust.
IV. A statement or word of trust. “But just say the word and my servant will be healed”
A. Faith is trusting. Luther commenting on the power of baptism in our lives remarks “it’s not the water indeed that does this, but the word of God, which is in and with the water and faith, which trusts such word of God in the water.
For without the word of God the water is simply water and there is no baptism. But with the word of God, it is a Baptism, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing of regeneration in the Holy Ghost as St. Paul says, Titus, chapter third: [According to His mercy He saved us] By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy ghost, which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. This is a faithful saying! [3]
It is the word of God which places these great blessings into Baptism; and through faith, which trusts this word of promise, we accept the forgiveness, life and salvation offered in Baptism and make theses blessings our very own.
B. Faith is believing. Faith is taking Jesus at His Word. Faith is the assurance that the Holy Ghost is working faith in us and thus creating in us new spiritual life.
“Precious Jesus, I beseech Thee, May thy words take root in me; May this gift from heaven enrich me. So that I bear fruit for Thee! Take them never from my heart. Till I see Thee as Thou art, When in heavenly bliss and glory I shall greet Thee and adore Thee.” [4]

[1] The 5th Petition Luther’s Small Catechism © 1943 Concordia Publishing House St. Louis, MO
[2] The Confession of Sins from The Lutheran Hymnal © 1940 Concordia Publishing House St. Louis, MO

[3] . The Power of Baptism Luther’s Small Catechism ©1943 Concordia Publishing House St. Louis, MO

[4] . Speak, O Lord, Thy Servant Heareth from The Lutheran Hymnal © 1940 Concordia Publishing House St. Louis, MO

Pentecost 2 - Proper 5

Our text for today presents for us a challenge we are faced with two miracles, almost duplicates. How do we address miracles today? Are we to expect the same miracle today as we find in our text? If so, why didn’t Christ raise from the dead your son or your daughter? How does our world understand miracles today? Some simply deny the reality of miracles seeing them as stories to the ancient past. They see them as allegories to spiritual truths. Miracles are simply offensive to the scientific mind.

How should we address the miracles of Christ? They are in fact signs – signs of the nature of God, of Jesus as the Son of God and of the power of God. We need not question the validity of the miracles of Jesus – we simply take them for granted.

Regardless of your opinion concerning the miraculous - of one thing we can be certain – death is the final declaration of defeat. We need to hear the story of Jesus’ raising the widow’s son at Nain to be reminded that life is stronger than death and that this life comes from Christ. In verse 13 Jesus is called “Lord”. He truly is the Lord of life.

In Jesus Christ we have the power of new life.

1. The power to comfort – v. 13 “Do not weep”

A. Jesus pours out His heart and He acts. While the two groups follow either Him or the corpse. He is the source of the solution to the tragedy of the widow. He alone as God’s Son has the power to heal the predicament of human beings.

B. Jesus’ action reverses things for all concerned in the sad procession. The widow is to stop weeping. Those carrying the corpse stop walking. The corpse sits up, speaks, and is restored to the mother.

2. The power to renew life – v. 14 “Arise”

A. Through the gift of faith given by the Holy Spirit, we acknowledge and confess Jesus as the Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer from sin.

B. Still, we remain and live in an imperfect world, full of sickness, death, and other misfortunes. Jesus, our Savior for eternity, is also the healer of our mortal ills. We use human knowledge supplied through medicine for God works through human agents. He also performs miraculous healings today – both when He is approached in prayer and at times before He is asked.

C. Faith in Christ as our Redeemer and trust in Him as our healer of all types of ills will give us the peace that transcends human understanding and that we need in a world of outward and inward turmoil. Death, our final enemy, pertains to the realm of darkness. Jesus, who came to proclaim the kingdom of God, performed this miracle as an indication of the final destiny God intends for all Christians.

3. The power to restore relationships - v.15 “He gave him to his mother.”

A. Both crowds, experience awe, respect, reverence and (no doubt, in some cases) fear as a result of Jesus’ amazing conquest over death.

B. They give God credit for Jesus’ power over human ills and assume that he is equal to the prophets of old, through whom God frequently spoke and acted. The people consider themselves God’s chosen people as a result of their birth.

C. They spread the report of the day’s miraculous event throughout all Judea and the surrounding area. They report that God once more has sent a prophet to His chosen race.

Schnorr von Carolsfeld woodcuts © WELS for personal and congregational use

Time in the Word - Pentecost 2 - Proper 5

“God’s Power Of Life Over Death” is the theme for this coming week. In the Old Testament lesson, [1 Kings 17:17-24] the power of life over death is seen in Elijah raising the widow’s son. In the Epistle, [Galatians 1:11-24] the power of life is in Paul’s conversion. In the Gospel [Luke 7:11-17] The power of life is seen in Jesus who raises a widow’s son.

How do some deal with miracles today? Some deny the reality of the miracle as a story or myth of the ancient past. Some allegorize and spiritualize the account in an attempt to bring out a helpful message for our day. Some rationalize the miracle to explain away any details that might be offensive to scientific minds. We simply allow the miracles to stand as they happen. They are sings for us – signs of the nature of God, of Jesus as the Son of God, of the power of God. Approaching the miracles from this stance, we do not raise a question about the validity of the miracle; we take it for granted. We find the permanent values in the miracle for life today.

Collect for Trinity – Almighty and everlasting God, You have give us grace to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity by the confession of a true fait hand to worship the unity in the power of the Divine Majesty. Keep us steadfast in this faith and defend us from all adversities; for you, O Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, live and reign one God, now and forever.

Collect for Proper 5 – O Lord, Father of all mercy and God of all comfort, You always go before and follow after us. Grant that we may rejoice in Your gracious presence and continually be given to all good works; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Collects for Pentecost 2 - O God, whose never failing providence sets in order all things both in heaven and earth, put away from us, we entreat You, all hurtful things, and give us those things that are profitable for us, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

O God, from whom all good proceeds, grant to us Your humble servants, that by Your holy inspiration we may thing the things that are right and by Your merciful guiding accomplish the,; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

For the Armed Forces of our Nation and for those we remember - O Lord God of hosts, stretch forth Your almighty arm to strengthen and protect those who serve in the armed forces of our country. Support them in this time of war, and in times of peace keep them from all evil, giving them courage and loyalty and granting that in all things they may serve honestly and without reproach. As we remember those who gave the supreme sacrifice of their lives to preserve our liberties may we honor them with our life and conduct that they may not have died in vain, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Monday, 31 May 2010—Psalm 138:3, 7-8- Antiphon Psalm 86:16 -In these words of the psalmist he gives testimony to God’s condescending and faithful love for His own. You are loved by God. You are precious in His sight.

Tuesday, 01 June 2010—Psalm 30— It is suggested that the psalm was written for the dedication of David’s palace. After he had conquered Jerusalem, and made it his capital. (2 Samuel 5:11; 7:2) David apparently had often been near death, but God brought him through. He would sin praise to God forever. The events in 1 Chronicles 21 may possibly provide the background to this psalm. The dark days when life was in danger are now past (Vv. 2-3; 6-10) Easy times breed self-reliance (Vs.6) But this experience had put life into perspective for David. (Vs.5) this experience showed the psalmist his own helplessness (Vv. 7-10) Now that the danger is behind him, he gladly and openly acknowledges his debt of gratitude to God. (Vv.11-12)
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Wednesday, 02 June 2010—1 Kings 17:17-24 – In the Old Testament lesson Elijah restores a child to life. The youth was brought back to life by God through Elijah. He stretched himself on the child three times so that his life force might effect the child. In contrast, Jesus simply touched the casket. There was no great effort, no force but simply a touch for the power to flow. Elijah prayed to God with great intensity for the child’s life to return. Jesus does not pray. As the Son of God, He simply said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!”

Thursday, 03 June 2010—Galatians 1:11-24— In the Epistle lesson Paul’s gospel did not come from man but from revelation. It’s obvious that many lives are in confusion because they sense no purpose or plan for their lives. The claim that God has a separate plan for each life has largely been dropped by many these days. The result is that lives are purposeless and distracted. Paul expresses a conviction that God has a plan for him even before he was born – destined to be a preacher! Can you also say, “This is what God wants me to do with my life?”

Friday, 04 June 2010—Luke 7:11-17— In the Gospel lesson Jesus raises a widow’s son in Nain. We feel out weakness. It is as though the world is often too much. Death is the final declaration of defeat. We need to hear the story of Jesus’ raising the widow’s son at Nain to be reminded that life is stronger than death and that this life comes from Christ. In verse 13 Jesus is called “Lord” – He is the Lord of life.

Saturday, 05 June 2010—Psalm 102:1-2 The Hymn of the Day is “When in the Hour of Deepest Need” (LSB #615). It is a cold hard world. The endlessly reported refrain coming from people is “Nobody cares about me.” Commercial ventures seeking new business capitalize on this fact and advertise, “We care.” Many ask, “Does anybody really care whether I live or die, succeed or fail?” Does Jesus care? He did when He was in Palestine, but does He care about me today? The answer is in the miracle at Nain. The answer is in the raising of the widow’s son. The answer is found in calling Paul to proclaim the gospel Jesus has not changed. He still has compassion for all who are having a bad time. It is important to observe that Jesus did not raise the youth from death to deliver him from his plight. He was raised to comfort his mother.. The answer is expressed in the words of this powerful hymn. Meditate on it and then come to service singing and proclaiming these powerful truths. This is your reality.

Prayers for Proper 5 from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House
Prayer for the Armed Forces and Pentecost 2 from Lutheran Worship © 1980 Concordia Publishing House
Lectionary Preaching Workbook Series C by John Brokhoff © 1979 CSS Publishing Lima OH
Schnorr von Carolsfeld woodcuts © WELS for personal and congregational use

Pentecost 2 - Proper 6 - Mark 4:26-34

Blessed Lord, since You have caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark learn and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of eternal life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

When there is life there is growth. Even after physical growth stops, human beings need to keep on growing intellectually and in other ways. Growth is necessary to experience life at its fullest. Growth is always a feature of God’s kingdom and specifically of the Word of the kingdom. The parables in Mark 4, beginning with the parable of the sower, focus on God’s Word. The text points out that the Word of God Grows.

I. The Word grows gradually.
A. As the seed is sown.
1. Both pastors and lay Christians sow the seed of the Word.
2. The sowing goes on wherever God’s Word is proclaimed, preached, taught and shared. Gradual sowing is necessary for gradual growth.
B. As the plant develops.
1. We can prepare the ground and nurture the plant but the seed grows of itself, mysteriously.
2. We may sometimes get discouraged because the growth is so gradual, but growth there will be present. Therefore, we can relax and let the Word work according to its own schedule.

Transition: While learning to be patient with growth that is gradual, we must also face up to the fact that.

II. The Word grows inconspicuously.
A. The Word is as inconspicuous as a mustard seed in the beginning stages of its growth.
1. The great and the powerful in Christ’s day gave little notice to the Word growing in their midst.
2. Those who wield power and influence in the world today are indifferent for the most part to the growth of the Word.
B. So inconspicuous is the Word’s growth that we are often not aware of anything taking place.
1. The sinners with whom Christ associated and the disciples whom He called often gave little evidence of spiritual growth.
2. We cannot see faith, nor do we always see the various stages of growth. Conversions are not necessarily spectacular, nor do we always perceive growth in love and patience in ourselves and in others.

Transition: At the same time, there is evidence of rather impressive growth.

III. The Word grows impressively.
A. The Word that was sown in a little corner of the world has spread to many nations.
1. The Word has produced a great bush with large branches in which all sorts of people find refuge and rest.
2. The worldwide church attest to the growth power of the Word.
B. The Word will continue to grow until it produces a harvest.
1. We shall see this harvest on the Last Great Day.
2. Then there will be a great gathering of ripened grain, of redeemed souls, for the heavenly garner.
We need never discount the power of God’s Word. The Word of God grows gradually and inconspicuously, but also impressively.

Time in the Word Pentecost 2 - Proper 6

The theme for the Second Sunday after Pentecost is Growth of God’s Kingdom. The Introit sets the theme by proclaiming that the righteous (the one, holy, Christian, and apostolic Church) flourish and grow, not because of anything in them, but because they are planted in the house of the Lord.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a seed. It grows, even if we do not understand all the things at work which cause it to grow: the time of year, the temperature of the soil, the amount of moisture, the amount of daylight, contact with the soil, and so on. It is God who causes the seed to grow. Likewise, in the Church, it is God, not we, who gives it its growth. We plant the seed by proclaiming the Word of God, but it is the task of the Holy Spirit to establish and further the growth of the Church. Our responsibility is to make certain that the Word is taught in truth and purity, and that the Sacraments are administered rightly.

Monday, 8 June 2009—Psalm 92:12–15; Antiphon, Psalm 92:1—This ‘Psalm for the Sabbath’ is a hymn of praise, in which the psalmist gives thanks to the Lord for His steadfast love and faithfulness. He declares us righteous and makes us flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. From ancient times, even until to-day, Lebanon has been known for its tall strong cedars: Cedars from Lebanon were used in constructing the temple, and the cedar appears on Lebanon’s flag. We who are planted in the house of the Lord are strong in the Lord like these trees of renown.

Tuesday, 9 June 2009—Psalm 1—Luther wrote that the psalter is the Bible in miniature. If so, then the opening six verses are the portal leading into a treasure-house of communion with God. Who is the one who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners…but his delight is in the law of the Lord and on His Law he meditates day in night? First, it is Christ. Secondly, it is all of us who have been incorporated into Christ—the holy Christian Church. The new man, created by Baptism, that comes forth daily and arises to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.

Wednesday, 10 June 2009—Ezekiel 17:22–24—Things looked bleak when Jerusalem fell and King Zedekiah died in exile (Ezekiel 17:11-21). Through the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord proclaims that He will take a sprig from the lofty top of the cedar and…I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain. This tender sprig will never be uprooted, for it is the promised Messiah, Jesus, who will be given the throne of His father David, and whose Messianic kingdom will be established forever.

Thursday, 11 June 2009—2 Corinthians 5:1–10—In Sunday’s epistle reading, St Paul looks forward to eternal life in heaven, when we shall live forever in our glorified bodies, no longer made frail by the ravages of sin. Paul has supreme confidence in what is to come, for his confidence rests, not in the whims of man, but in the surety of God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. The Christian, who lives by faith in the promises of the Lord, rejoices at the thought of being at home with the Lord.

Friday, 12 June 2009—Mark 4:26–34—These parables serve as both warning and encouragement to us. We have a rôle to play in the furtherance of God’s kingdom on earth by sharing the Good News of the Gospel with those around us, but we must never think that the triumph of the Kingdom is our triumph, for it is the Lord and His Word alone which are effective. But neither should we despair if the growth of the Lord’s Kingdom seems somehow unspectacular in our eyes. He alone is the Lord of the harvest (Mark 9:38); thus, we never cease praying “Thy Kingdom come” with patience and confidence.

Saturday, 13 June 2009—Sunday’s hymn of the day, Creator Spirit, By Whose Aid (LSB 500), is an eighth-century written in praise of the Holy Spirit and the gifts He bestows on the Church.

Collect for Pentecost 2—Blessed Lord, since You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning, grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.