Pr. DFD : Pentecost 5 Proper 9

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Sunday, July 5, 2020

Pentecost 5 - Proper 9

Matthew 11:25-30

The Peace of Christ

Gracious God, our heavenly Father, Your mercy attends us all our days. Be our strength and support amid the wearisome changes of this world, and at life’s end grant us Your promised rest and the full joys of Your salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Peace – It’s more than a feeling – it’s a state of being – a commodity many are willing to pay any price to obtain to achieve it. Where do we find this peace? Christ our Savior has promised to give us His abiding peace. As John has reminded us in his gospel, [Jesus said,] “peace I give you My peace I leave you not as the world gives it do I give to you.”

No wonder we pray in the collect for peace, “Give us that peace which the world simply cannot give.” In our Gospel lesson for today Jesus promises that His peace may be ours.

I. In this world there continues to be contention and strife. “Come unto Me all those who are carrying heavy burdens” (v.18)

A. We live in a fallen world outside of Eden. By definition this world is filled with contention and strife.

B. This contention was brought about by the devil that tempted Adam and Eve causing them to fall headlong into sin.

C. No matter what man attempts he cannot produce a lasting peace. If anything it will be temporary and fleeting.

D. Jesus says literally, I will ease, relieve, and refresh your souls.

a. That what happened on the first Pentecost. Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call." With many other words, he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Acts 2:38-40

b. That’s what happens every time you remember your baptism. Baptism now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1 Peter 3:21

TRANSITION: Man as sinner by himself cannot find lasting peace. Only Christ has the sufficiency to give it.

II. Jesus offers true and lasting peace to all who would come to Him in faith.

A. “Take My yoke upon you.” To be yoked it to be teamed with Him. Thus the hymn writer will remind us, “Lord take Thy hand and lead me along life’s way…”

B. “I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.” Jesus is both humble and gentle.

1. Gentle – He knows our needs, wants and fears. He deals with us according to our needs.

2. Humble – In being human He took on flesh and fulfilled the Law for us.

3. We find our rest in Christ. Isaiah the prophet foretold it a thousand years before Christ was born. Looking into the future, he saw the coming Chosen One and predicted Jesus suffering. Surely, he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:4-5

TRANSITION: Christ has the sufficiency to be our peace.

III. Jesus Christ alone is the source of our peace.

A. His yoke is easy.

1. Even a yoked team will have a dominant member. Joined to Christ in Baptism He leads you. The hymn writer suggests, Savior lead, I follow Thee…

2. His yoke is easy for He leads, directs, and feeds us from day to day.

3. His burden is easy because it is easy for Him to bear. Don’t worry about the weight and burden of your sin. Christ knows you can’t bear it alone! He has carried it all for you. What you could not do for yourself He has done for you completely and totally. So stop pretending and repent! You can fall flat on your face attempting to impress others or you can fall into the safe and sure hands of Jesus your Savior. Which will it be? Choose, but choose wisely.

B. His burden is light. For a purpose driven life? Possibly we haven’t still learned the difference between two words.

1. Do – Law – what to do, what not to do, how to live – a tendency to give us “morality”

2. Done – Gospel – What God in Christ has accomplished at the bloody cross and empty tomb.

Father, into Thy hands I commend myself… May Christ’s peace be yours this day.

Words – 830

Passive Sentences –8%

Readability – 83.7%

Reading Level -4.4

Sunday, June 28, 2020

Time in the Word - Pentecost 5 - Proper 9

Peace for the world

Pentecost 5

Proper 9

June 29 – July 04, 2020

Peace (rest) is the obvious theme for the coming week. Zechariah tells of the king of peace coming to Israel; the passage is often used on Palm Sunday. This promise is fulfilled by the Messiah – Jesus – who invites the burdened to Himself where they will find rest for their souls. In the Epistle lesson Paul dramatically describes his inner conflict and its resolution in Christ the Deliverer. This theme of peace is carried forward in the Prayers of the Day with references to God as the source of peace and to us as being peacemakers. The Psalm mentions the King and thus refers to the Old Testament lesson. The Hymn of the week is related to the Gospel lesson

Collect for Proper 9 –Gracious God, our heavenly Father, Your mercy attends us all our days. Be our strength and support amid the wearisome changes of this world, and at life’s end grant us Your promised rest and the full joys of Your salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

A simple yet heartfelt Prayer – “Almighty God, grant us a steadfast faith in Jesus Christ, a cheerful hope in Your mercy, and a sincere love for You and one another.”

For Our Country – Almighty God, You have given us this good land as our heritage. Grant that we remember Your generosity and constantly do Your will. Bless our land with honest industry, truthful education, and an honorable way of life. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil course of action. Make us who come from many nations with many different languages a united people. Defend our liberties, and give those whom we have entrusted with the authority of government the spirit of wisdom that there may be justice and peace in our land. When times are prosperous, let our hearts be thankful; in troubled times do not let our trust in You fail; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

A prayer before we study the Word – Almighty God, our heavenly Father, without Your help our labor is useless, and without Your light our search is in vain. Invigorate the study of Your holy Word that, by due diligence and right discernment, we may establish ourselves and others in Your holy faith.

Monday, June 29, 2020 – Psalm 91:1-10 - This is the Psalm portion from which the Introit for next Sunday is taken. The antiphon is taken from verse 1, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Tuesday, June 30, 2020– Zechariah 9:9-12 – Peace for the nations. Jerusalem has promised that her king is coming to bring peace to the nations. Rejoice (v. 9). What is there to rejoice about? Can we rejoice over the shortage of energy, the arms race, the pollution of the earth, the racial unrest, and political corruption? God gives Israel reason to rejoice — a world ruler is coming in peace for the peace of the world. If we could have world peace, a world government of justice, a ruler of compassion, we would have reason to shout with joy. Has this King not come in Jesus? Christians should be a celebrating people.

Wednesday, July 01, 2020– Romans 7:14-25a – Peace for the individual. Christ delivers Paul from the raging war between the carnal and spiritual selves. A Christian has a dual nature: a carnal and spiritual nature that are in conflict with each other. It results in one’s doing what one does not want to do and vice versa. This struggle between good and evil continues to the point where one exclaims, “Wretched man that I am.” It is not a matter of a good higher nature and a lower evil nature. The whole person is in need of redemption, not only the lower self. The only solution is the redemption of the whole body of Christ from the body of death. For this Paul gives thanks.

Deliverance (v. 24).If a Christian has not only a dual but a duel nature, the conflict that persists leads to despair of self. The victim of this civil war cries out in despair, “Wretched man that I am!” Is there no end, no way out? Paul found the solution in Christ for whom he gives thanks for the deliverance. Christ is our peace who brings together the two warring selves into one integrated, harmonious person.

Thursday, July 02, 2020 – Matthew 11:25-30 – Peace for the followers of Christ. They who put on the yoke of Christ will receive rest for their souls. This pericope is in sharp contrast to Jesus’ earlier teachings about the price of discipleship and to his harsh warnings to cities that rejected him. The passage is warm, intimate, and consoling. He thanks the Father for revealing the truth to his “babes,” his simple unlearned disciples. His reference to God as Father indicates his unity with his Father whom alone knows him and whom he knows alone. Though tough demands are made on the disciples, Jesus promises rest to those heavily burdened if they will take his yoke upon them, for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.

A new religion (vv. 28-30).Jesus invites us to leave an old religion for a new one, His religion. It is not a religion of Jesus but about Jesus. His religion gives rest from a religion of law, duty, and obligation — a religion of works to be saved. As the object of our worship, He is gentle and humble. Our commitment to him is easy and light because our service to Him is voluntary (“Come”). His yoke is “easy,” because it fits us perfectly. This should save our religion from being a bore or a burden. Instead, the Christian religion is one of joy.

Friday, July 03, 2020 –Psalm 145:1-5 – This Psalm is suggested for next Sunday. The key verse “I will extol thee, my God and my King” (v. 1a).

Saturday, July 04, 2020 –John 6:35 – This passage is the inspiration for the hymn “I heard the Voice of Jesus say.” {LSB 752}.

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Sources:

Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.

Saturday, July 8, 2017

Pentecost 5 - Proper 9

Romans and the Reformation

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

9 July – Proper 9 – Romans 7:14-25a

Paul finds peace of mind through Christ’s deliverance

“What the Hell’s Wrong with Me?”

“Wretched man that I am!” This is how Paul put it. Today the expression is found in the title of this morning’s homily.1 Each person experiences this despair within himself. What.Is. Wrong. With me?

Each of us has a civil war within. We have a duel nature. We are torn. Between our higher and lower selves. Like St. Paul, we often do not understand why we do certain things. And when we vow. To ourselves. To our spouse. To our children. To our teachers. Not to practice certain things. That is precisely and exactly what we do.

Paul explains this conflict with these words, “I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.” v. 25

How do you make sense of this conflict? How do you understand yourself?

How do you understand yourself? – It is good and comforting to know Paul was human as we are. He confessed he did not understand why he did certain things the very thing he did not want to do.

We can say, ‘Paul, join the crowd!’ This reminds us of the doctrine that as Christians we are both saints and sinners alike. At the very same time. And the two are ever in conflict until death.

The Christian life is one of inner conflict. It is a struggle between the lower and the higher selves. It is a battle between the old and the new Adam. It is a clash between the law of the body and the law of the mind.

What is so wrong?

1. We do what we don’t want to do – “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want.” V. 15

The reason for such behavior is simple: It is the power of sin. “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.” v. 18 It is sin what makes us do the wrong thing. Especially when all we want to do is the right thing. “For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” It is the law of sin. It is the power of evil that possesses the flesh. It is the unregenerate part of us that desires evil.

Paul continues, “But I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members…it is sin that dwells within me.” V. 20

While the Law in itself is good. The Law shows us the wrong we do. This calls for a continual battle against temptation and the evil force that still lives in a Christian.

The Solution: Deny the lower self. Repent. Realize there is nothing good in you. Try as you might you cannot overcome the power of sin. Will power does not work. Paul will admit, “I have the desire to do what is right.” But he has to admit, “I don’t have the ability to carry it out!”

2. We don’t do what we want to do – but I do the very thing I hate. V.15

The reason for all this: Our better self wants to do right – “I have this desire to do what is right.” Each of us wants to do the right thing. Not only do we know what is right. We know we should fulfill it. The victim of this civil war cries out in despair, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” v. 24 This conflict that persists, can only lead to despair of self.

Is there no end? No way out? Paul found the solution in Christ for whom he gives thanks for this deliverance. Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! V. 25

The Solution: Affirm the higher self? Better yet, rejoice in Christ’s deliverance. St. Paul says, “For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being.” v. 22

Christ is your peace. Who brings together the two warring selves into one integrated, harmonious person. He has redeemed you. And when we come to Him daily in contrition and faith He forgives our sins.

But He does us even better. He gives you His Holy Spirit. So that you can be the hands, the feet, the fingers, and the toes of Jesus in your world.

This year we commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The Reformers taught that a farmer may worship God by being a good farmer. The Reformation proclaimed that a parent, changing diapers, could be as near to Jesus as the Pope. This was scandal. But it was also revolutionary.

"We can't be holy in the abstract. Instead we become a holy blacksmith. Or a holy mother. Or a holy physician. Or a holy systems analyst. We seek God in and through our particular vocation and place in life…Our task is not to somehow inject God into our work. But to join God in the work He is already doing in and through our vocational lives."2 In short, you become a sermon in shoes.

"In the daily rhythms for everyone everywhere, we live our lives in the marketplaces of this world. In homes and neighborhoods. In schools and on farms. In hospitals and businesses. And our vocations are bound up with the ordinary work that ordinary people do. We are not great shots across the bow of history. Rather, by simple grace. We are hints of hope."3

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Words –1,000
Passive Sentences –2%
Readability –86.5
Reading Level – 3.4
Luther’s Seal © Ed Riojas, Higher Things

1. Offence was not intended in the title of this homily although it is a common idiom

3. Ibid pg. 189

Sunday, July 2, 2017

Time in the Word Pentecost 5 - Proper 9

Time in the Word
"Peace for the world"
Proper 9
July 3 – July 8, 2017

Monday, July 3, 2017 – Psalm 91:1-10 - This is the Psalm portion from which the Introit for next Sunday is taken. The antiphon is taken from verse 1, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Tuesday, July 4, 2017– Zechariah 9:9-12 – Peace for the nations. Jerusalem has promised that her king is coming to bring peace to the nations. Rejoice (v. 9). What is there to rejoice about? Can we rejoice over the shortage of energy, the arms race, the pollution of the earth, the racial unrest, and political corruption? God gives Israel reason to rejoice — a world ruler is coming in peace for the peace of the world. If we could have world peace, a world government of justice, a ruler of compassion, we would have reason to shout with joy. Has this King not come in Jesus? Christians should be a celebrating people.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017– Romans 7:14-25a – Peace for the individual. Christ delivers Paul from the raging war between the carnal and spiritual selves. A Christian has a dual nature: a carnal and spiritual nature that are in conflict with each other. It results in one’s doing what one does not want to do and vice versa. This struggle between good and evil continues to the point where one exclaims, “Wretched man that I am.” It is not a matter of a good higher nature and a lower evil nature. The whole person is in need of redemption, not only the lower self. The only solution is the redemption of the whole body of Christ from the body of death. For this Paul gives thanks.

"Deliverance" (v. 24).If a Christian has not only a dual but a duel nature, the conflict that persists leads to despair of self. The victim of this civil war cries out in despair, “Wretched man that I am!” Is there no end, no way out? Paul found the solution in Christ for whom he gives thanks for the deliverance. Christ is our peace who brings together the two warring selves into one integrated, harmonious person.

Thursday, July 6, 2017 – Matthew 11:25-30 – Peace for the followers of Christ. They who put on the yoke of Christ will receive rest for their souls. This pericope is in sharp contrast to Jesus’ earlier teachings about the price of discipleship and to his harsh warnings to cities that rejected him. The passage is warm, intimate, and consoling. He thanks the Father for revealing the truth to his “babes,” his simple unlearned disciples. His reference to God as Father indicates his unity with his Father whom alone knows him and whom he knows alone. Though tough demands are made on the disciples, Jesus promises rest to those heavily burdened if they will take his yoke upon them, for his yoke is easy and his burden is light.

A new religion (vv. 28-30).Jesus invites us to leave an old religion for a new one, His religion. It is not a religion of Jesus but about Jesus. His religion gives rest from a religion of law, duty, and obligation — a religion of works to be saved. As the object of our worship, He is gentle and humble. Our commitment to him is easy and light because our service to Him is voluntary (“Come”). His yoke is “easy,” because it fits us perfectly. This should save our religion from being a bore or a burden. Instead, the Christian religion is one of joy.

Friday, July 7, 2017 –Psalm 145:1-5 – This Psalm is suggested for next Sunday. The key verse “I will extol thee, my God and my King” (v. 1a).

Saturday, July 8, 2017 –John 6:35 – This passage is the inspiration for the hymn “I heard the Voice of Jesus say.” {LSB 752}.

Sources:
LUTHERAN SEVICE BOOK © 2006 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO

LUTHERAN WORSHIP © 1989 Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, MO

LECTIONALRY PREACHING WORKBOOK SERIES A © 1980 John Brokhoff CSS Publishing Lima, OH

Schnorr von Carolsfeld, woodcuts © WELS Permission to use these copyrighted items is limited to personal and congregational use.