Printable PDF:  2-21-2021 Lent 1 Sermon

Pastor Wagenknecht  ~  Lent 1 Sermon  ~  February 21, 2021 ~ Romans 8:31-39 

NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM GOD’S LOVE

³¹What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ³³Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. ³⁴Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. ³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶As it is written:  “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I remember the first commercials for “Super Glue” where one drop could lift an automobile. Not sure that was real, but I have glued my fingers together, and I just had to wait for the skin to slough off. I have learned that even Super Glue will yield to fingernail polish remover. But NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1. We are joined to God’s love by Christ and that is a glue that cannot be dissolved.

Nothing can be against us. ³¹What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? You catch the argument “from the greatest to the lesser”? If God gave us the greatest gift possible by sacrificing his only-begotten Son, then we can be sure that he will give us the lesser gifts also. It is his free gift, and it does not depend on us. Romans 9:16 tells us “It does not depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.”

So it does not depend on us, our own works or intentions. No matter what charges can be brought against us because of our sins, no accusation can stand against us. That is because it is God who justifies. ³³Who will bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. The justifying Judge is the same God who sacrificed his Son to make atonement for all of our short-comings. He gave him up for us all, and for his sake he justifies us.

God’s grace gives us all things. Out of his undeserved love he gave us salvation and there is life, a time of grace, new life in baptism where he washed our sins away, salvation by faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice, the certain promise of eternal life in heaven. We have all these things.

So now nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Convinced? Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

2. Nothing can separate us from God because we are firmly glued by Christ’s sacrifice.

We are connected to God through Christ. We have fellowship with God through Christ. We are securely held in the loving arms of our heavenly Father through Christ. The guarantee of that rests in the fact that He gave Him up for us all. His death on the cross is a pledge, a token, a precious treasure that now he will also freely give us all things. He will give us victory over our three worst enemies: the devil, the world, and our sinful flesh.

We are safely cemented to the love of God in Christ, and that makes us safe from all trouble from the devil. We know what temptations the devil hurled at Jesus for 40 days in the wilderness when he began his public ministry and throughout the three years up to the agony in Gethsemane, the torments before Pilate, and the torment of the cross. The devil did not defeat Christ. He cannot overcome us with guilt over our sins, doubt, sadness, worry, sorrow, emptiness, depression, despair, distress, or even unbelief. The devil tempts us with all these fiery arrows, but he cannot defeat us. The only one who can condemn us is Christ, and he is the one who died for us, and more than that was raised to life and now sits at God’s right hand and is interceding for us. Get that? Christ is on our side. And Jesus will not lose the case. We have victory over the devil.

We are also held tightly against all the temptations of the world. Satan’s arrows are spiritual, but closer to our daily lives is the materialism of the world. We can physically sense the lure of earthly success, pride, luxury, ease, physical comfort, indifference, complacency, accidents, storms, drought, cold, heat, hunger, poverty. The world has some answers for all that; have you watched the 15 seconds of soft music in a TV commercial that is supposed to bring you peace? Then there’s the promise of a better life through audible books, comfort food, all kinds of music, alcohol, and drugs. However, none of these brings us closer to God. We need the Gospel – we need to remember the water of our baptisms, hear the Word proclaimed, strengthened by bread and wine, which bring us the body and blood of our Savior right here. Lord, take my hand and hold me. Take my mind, my attitudes, my desires, and my goals and hold me.

It seems to me that we most need to be firmly connected to Christ against our own sinful flesh. Here the temptations are daily, hourly, constantly pushing us away from God. The flesh is prone to pain, sorrow, suffering, illness, fear, failure, trouble, bad habits, evil company, weakness, uncertainty, loneliness, loss of memory, and finally death. We might find some help in medicine, vaccines, close friends, and a good night’s sleep. Yet it is the promise that the Lord is with us at every moment that gives us comfort and assurance. He gave us our bodies and life, and he is the one who works all things for our good.

From your own experience you can probably add many things in your life that tempt you daily to fall from faith in the love of God in Christ. So stay close to God and his Word firmly trusting that nothing can separate you from the loving grasp of your Lord. You are in his hands.

NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS. Amen.

Printable PDF:  2-14-2021 Transfiguration Sermon

Pastor Mark R. Jacobson  ~  Transfiguration Sermon  ~  February 14, 2021

¹²Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. ¹³We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. ¹Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. ²Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. – 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2     

When Your Christianity Is Not Appreciated

“She loves me.” “She loves me not.” “She loves me!” “She loves me not!” “She loves me.” “She loves me not.” This is a stressful game, but it’s the story of Valentine’s Day. Does she love you? Or does she love you not?

1. The passing glory of the Old Covenant will fail you like it failed Moses.

The Apostle Paul started the church in Corinth on his second missionary journey. And Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half teaching them the Word of God. And she loved him. The Corinthians loved Paul. And that church should love Paul. Paul brought them the gospel message of Jesus. Then the Corinthians loved Paul not. See as Paul traveled to other cities and brought them the gospel, the Corinthians became more interested in who was talking rather than what they were saying. Critics of Paul were quoted as saying, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing” (2 Corinthians 10:10). Other teachers came in and taught a different gospel which is really no gospel at all and many of the Corinthians loved them and they loved Paul not. It was like they had a veil over their eyes to keep them from appreciating the truth of God’s Word.

Paul speaks of that veil in our lesson, “We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.”

The Old Covenant is the law. The Old Covenant includes the Ten Commandments and the many other ceremonial and civil laws. These rules and regulations were the holy standards the Lord God called his holy people of the Old Testament times to obey. There is certainly glory in the Old Covenant. You could see that glory all over the face of Moses. You can see that glory in your lives as well. Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy, and your pastors will love you. Honor your father and mother, and your parents will love you. Do not murder, have some compassion, and your brothers and sisters will love you. Do not commit adultery, respect the principles of marriage, and your spouse will love you. Do not steal, be diligent in your studies, work hard on the job, and your community will love you. Do not gossip, speak the truth in love, and your neighbors will love you. Most of the time, that’s how it is with Christianity. Do unto others and they will do unto you, but that doesn’t happen all the time. What happens when your Christianity is not appreciated? What happens when you do everything you are supposed to do for the people in your life, and they love you not? Do you love them with the same Christ-like love as you had before? Do you serve them with the same Christian service as last time?

There is glory in the Old Covenant, but the glory of the Old Covenant passes away because of sin. Moses hadn’t even come down from Mount Sinai, and God’s holy people had their glory pass away by worshipping a golden calf. Moses and Elijah had their glory pass away, too. Remember the glory of Moses and Elijah? Moses successfully led Israel through the Red Sea. Elijah successfully defeated the 400 false prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel. And yet, when their Christianity was not appreciated their glory passed away. In anger Moses struck a rock with his staff and brought out water for the Israelites. The Lord God had instructed Moses to speak to the rock and bring out water. And because of that one angry outburst, Moses did not enter into the Promised Land of Canaan. In despair Elijah abandoned his prophet post. After the dramatic events of Mount Carmel, King Ahab and the Israelites did not repent of their sins as Elijah hoped. Not only did Elijah need the Lord God to pick him up and set him back on his prophet post, if the Lord hadn’t arranged a heavenly uber ride, Elijah would have never made it to heaven on his own.

I suppose I could tell you that you shouldn’t fall into sin and that you shouldn’t get angry or fall into despair when your Christianity is not appreciated, but that’s kind of like telling a kid not to walk on the carpet with muddy shoes when the kid has already walked on the carpet with muddy shoes. It’s too late. We’ve sinned. Even the best among us like Moses and Elijah, have gotten angry or have fallen into despair when the people in our lives have loved our Christianity not. To ignore this truth is to live with a veil over our eyes. The glory of the Old Covenant has passed away. We need a new covenant.

2. The ever-increasing glory of Jesus will transform you like it transformed Paul.

The Apostle Paul continues his teaching with the new covenant of Jesus. Paul explains, “Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

Do you see the ever-increasing glory of Jesus? How did his glory increase? Jesus had already kept the Ten Commandments as a little boy. Where children have stumbled and fallen, Jesus stood tall in the truth of God’s Law. But now, starting Wednesday, something more is about to take place. Do you see it? Do you understand why we have a cross at the center of our church and not two tablets of stone? The ever-increasing glory of Jesus was his willingness to suffer and die for our sins, including the sins of anger and despair when our Christianity is not appreciated.

Christ has won this forgiveness for us by not getting angry or falling into despair when he was not appreciated. The Bible says, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” And yet from the cross Jesus said, “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” In love Jesus brought 12 individuals into his inner, most trusted circle. One of those 12 betrayed him, another denied him, and the other ten deserted him when he needed them the most. And yet Jesus called the betrayer a friend. Jesus made breakfast for Peter and sent him off as his Pentecost Preacher. In the same way he reunited with all his Apostles. How could Jesus love when his Christianity wasn’t appreciated? How did our Savior have the strength and the stamina to serve when his Christianity was not appreciated?

The Mount of Transfiguration. On the Mount of Transfiguration the Father said for our benefit, “This is my Son, whom I love.” And God the Father never flipped. He loved Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration, and he loved him on Mount Calvary, too. In the same way Jesus loved the Father on the Mount of Glory, and Jesus loved the Father on Mount Calvary, too.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. How could the Apostle Paul make at least three visits and write at least 3 letters to the Christians in Corinth without getting angry like Moses or falling into despair like Elijah? How could Paul teach the same gospel to the same people when it had seemed the gospel wasn’t working like it should? How could Paul be so bold? How could Paul not lose heart? How can you be like Paul? How can you love and serve the people in your life when your Christianity is not appreciated? How can you attain that ever-increasing glory?

It’s easy, and it’s difficult. Listen to him! Listen to him! He loves you. He loves you. He loves you. He loves you. He loves you. He loves you! Amen.

Printable PDF:  1-31-2021 Epiphany 4 Sermon

Pastor Mark R Jacobson     †  Epiphany 4  †  January 31, 2021  †  Mark 1:21-28

²¹They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. ²²The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. ²³Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, ²⁴“What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” ²⁵“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” ²⁶The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. ²⁷The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” ²⁸News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

CHRIST BE MY LEADER

What makes for an amazing teacher? Is that a question you can answer with words, or is an amazing teacher something you know when you see it? I’ll try to put an answer into words. An amazing teacher knows her stuff. She’s an expert or at least very familiar with her subject. An amazing teacher also knows how to connect with his students. He’s able to make his history class come alive for them. Somehow he makes math fun. And, finally, an amazing teacher can change a student’s way of thinking, and with that an amazing teacher can change a person’s life so they are never the same person again. An amazing teacher knows the subject, relates to the students, and changes their lives. 

1. Speak to my life with your Word.

Early in his ministry Jesus had already achieved amazing teacher status. Verse 22 says, “The people were amazing at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.” The teachers of the law taught the law. The teachers of the law taught people they could earn God’s favor by keeping God’s commandments. The teachers of the law taught people they could separate themselves from others by keeping man-made traditions. Jesus taught the law, too, but Jesus taught the law differently. Jesus taught that the letter of the law is the heart of the law. Jesus taught, “Anyone who hates their brother is a murderer.” “Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully in his heart is an adulterer.” “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and all of your soul and all of your mind. Love your neighbor as yourself.” That’s what Jesus taught about the law. “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect,” Jesus said. The reason Jesus taught the law this way was so that no one could think they could earn God’s favor by keeping God’s commandments.

Jesus taught his disciples, “It’s easier for a camel to walk through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God,” the disciples appropriately asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus answered, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” What God does for us as sinners is called the gospel. Jesus taught, “For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Jesus taught, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.”

Jesus taught the good news of the gospel so that people would stop trying to live for themselves. You can’t live for yourself and at the same time live for him who died for you. You live for Jesus when the gospel comforts you with the forgiveness of sins and when the gospel compels you to serve the Lord with gladness. Our goal as students of Jesus is to carry out God’s will on earth as the angels carry out God’s will in heaven. Do you hear Jesus teaching you this morning through his called servant? Has Jesus convicted you of your sin? Convinced you of his forgiveness? Compelled you to serve with love and good deeds. God’s Word calls us to action, to change our lives.

We live in a mean world sometimes. And some of us live in a meme world. Have you seen the meme of Senator Bernie Sanders? He’s sitting outside at President Biden’s inauguration. He looks cold and miserable and wearing beautiful mittens. I don’t know why this meme is so funny, but it’s hilarious. It’s as hilarious as former Vice President Mike Pence having a fly land on his hair. There are all kinds of memes with Senator Bernie Sanders and his mittens, but this is the one that got my attention. It has the same two pictures of Senator Bernie Sanders and his mittens, but under one picture the caption reads, “This is a Pentecostal not enjoying a Lutheran sermon.” And with the very same picture it says, “This is a Lutheran enjoying a Lutheran sermon.” I think you get the point.

The Bible is Jesus’ voice. In his Word, Jesus speaks to me and my life. In the Word Jesus teaches me the beautiful truth of God’s love – because of his redemption, I have eternal life in heaven. Will this amazing teaching of Jesus move me toward love and good deeds, or will my faith remain cold and unmoved? How about you? May Christ be my leader and speak to my life with his Word. May Christ also be your leader and speak to your life with His Word.

2. Silence the evil around me with your work.

The authority of God’s Word calls for a response, and in our lesson, we see a startling response from a strange creature. Verse 23, “Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” Martin Luther has been quoted as saying, “Where God built a church, there the Devil would also build a chapel.” Apparently, everything was peaceful and calm when the teachers of the law taught in the synagogue, but when Jesus taught with authority, there was unrest and confrontation. That should teach us something, shouldn’t it? Just because everything is all right in your life and even in your church, doesn’t mean everything is all right in your life and in your church. The opposite is also true. Just because everything is not all right in your life and even in your church, doesn’t mean everything is not all right in your life and in your church.

The devil is actively working where Jesus is teaching with authority. We see that in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. Remember Job? In the history of Job we see the devil cut a deal with the Lord to bring Job a whole slew of hardships. The devil wants to tempt Job and cause him to lose his faith. The Lord wants to test Job and make his faith stronger. In the New Testament Jesus is quoted as saying to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 11:31-32). Are we tempted to think the devil or Satan, who gave a great effort against the Lord and against his people like Job and Peter, will somehow leave us alone and not attack us?

We live in a meme world. We also live in a mean world. Did you see this sign on the freeways this week? The Arizona Department of Transportation warns to not stop our cars and pick up hitchhikers. Those hitchhikers could have been the two convicts who escaped from the prison in Florence. Did you take greater precautions this past week because of those mean men?

Satan poses a greater danger to you. The Bible describes the devil as a “roaring lion looking for someone to devour,” but listen to how easily the Lord shut him up with his authoritative word, “‘Be quiet!’ said Jesus sternly. ‘Come out of him!’ The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, ‘What is this? A new teaching – and with authority! He even given orders to impure spirits and they obey him.’”

No, it’s wasn’t a new teaching. Near the beginning it was taught how Jesus would crush Satan’s head. This matchup of Jesus versus Satan is not like the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl. A better comparison would be the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against a pee-wee football team. It was never a contest. Through Jesus’ death on the cross, the devil is finished. Through Jesus’ resurrection from the grave, we have new life again. Christ’s victory is our victory. Even the roaring lion, Satan himself, must obey him even though Satan does not want to obey him.

We have nothing to worry about. Satan has been silenced by Jesus. The news about him spread quickly in the whole region of Galilee. Jesus is the most amazing teacher. Let’s pray that the whole world, this meme and mean world, would listen to Jesus’ teaching and take everything Jesus says in the Bible to heart. Let’s pray that it would happen in Glendale, that it would happen at Grace, that it would happen with me, and that it would happen with you. Amen.

Printable PDF:  1-17-2021 Stewardship 2 Sermon

Pastor Mark R Jacobson  ~  10-for-10 Stewardship Emphasis

Stewardship 2 Sermon  ~  January 14, 2021  ~  Matthew 25:14-23

¹⁴“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ ²¹“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ ²²“The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ ²³“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS KNOWING THE MASTER

The day was September 22, the year, 1776. He had been discovered and arrested as a spy, and he was due to be hanged on a British gallows. That was when Captain Nathan Hale rather famously stated, “I only regret, that I have but one life to lose for my country.” Is it possible that you would have such a feeling and make a similar statement as a believer in Jesus? — It’s too bad that I have only this one life that I can live for God!

This Gospel story of the three servants is meant for us as much as anybody. Jesus told this story in anticipation of his own “journey” – the journey that would lead to his death on the cross and continue with his ascension to the right hand of God. The culmination of his journey will be on Judgment Day when Jesus comes again to establish, once and for all, the kingdom of heaven that will have no end.

The story Jesus told obviously turns on the big difference between the two faithful servants and the one unfaithful servant. What was it that made such a difference in how they acted? It’s not really even suggested that the wicked servant was put off because the other two servants received more from their master. All three of them got a lot. Conservative estimates would say that the value of the single bag of gold was 15 years of wages. If you make about $65,000 a year, that’s around a million dollars. And look what it says about those bags of gold. The master entrusted them to his servants. We’re not talking about self-made millionaires. This is not a tale about the one who starts with nothing, works hard and earns everything he gets. Wealth unimaginable has simply been given to them. It’s not their wealth. It’s their master’s wealth.

If we’re going to let the Word of God have its way with us, we have to do some accounting—what gifts has God given to you? The Bible says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1). Your house is God’s. Your phone is God’s. Your car is God’s. Your kids are God’s. Your abilities are God’s. Your financial assets are God’s. If you can be the least bit kind and helpful to others, that gift came to you from God. If you can be compassionate when people are hurting, that gift came to you from God. The God who’s given you all you have wants to know—are you using it, every bit of it, to honor him? This parable applies to our whole Christian Life. It also applies to 100% of our earthly possessions. The Bible says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth (Proverbs 3:9). Does your wealth honor the Lord? Do you know what percentage of your weekly or monthly income is dedicated for the Lord? Will you work through the financial materials mailed to you so you know? Will you participate in this 10-for-10 enhanced giving campaign starting January 31^st? The campaign is 10 weeks long. The high goal is to give 10 percent of your income for 10 weeks. That’s easy math. Just move the decimal point. The lower goal is to increase your giving by 10 percent. You might need a calculator. Will you pray for this 10-for-10 campaign?

Think about the parable. What was the wicked servant’s crime? The wicked servant’s rebellion was not dealing opioids that people overdosed on, not murder, not addiction to porn or booze—you know what his rebellion was? Doing nothing—not using God’s gifts for God’s glory. His rebellion was…“Leave me alone, so I can do what I want!”

Here’s the thing about those two faithful servants. They weren’t perfect either. They were sinners, too. But their story started long before their master went on a journey and entrusted them with bags of gold. There was something that was already firmly in place, something that had been created inside them, so that when they were given that money and the master traveled abroad, the first and only thing they could think to do was to devote themselves to activities and projects that would be pleasing to him when he returned. What do you think that something was?

Our mortality is front and center in the news today. It hurts when a loved one dies. It’s tough to think about someone getting so sick they need oxygen or a ventilator. We do all we can to live and be healthy. And yet that’s the place God the Father found himself with God the Son. When it came to the matter of having someone pay for your sins, there were only two ways that it could go: either it would be you going to the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, or it would be a pure and perfect substitute who would go to the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth for you. Before you were born and before he created all things, God the Father had already made that choice. On Good Friday he acted on that choice. The thick, unbreakable cords of perfect and eternal love that bound the Father to the Son—God the Father sliced through those cords, severed them, and dropped his beloved Son into the torturous, darkness of God forsakenness. Even in that hell of hells, with the guilt of everyone counted against him, Jesus did not gnash his teeth in anger against God. In silent suffering he was damned, and he suffered and died for you. Your Father in heaven kept you…and cursed his Son.

That’s the something those two faithful servants had seen in their master, how deep his love for them was. That’s what they knew about him before he so generously entrusted his property to them—they knew how much he loved them. That’s what drove them to devote themselves so completely to working for him while he was gone. Of all the things they could ever have had for themselves, hearing “well done” from him was better than anything.

God gives us so many gifts. He has distributed them in various kinds and in various amounts to all of us, because he knows just what you need and what I need to be able to serve him well. The only key that will ever turn over the engine and take us down the road of devoting ourselves and our bags of gold to serving him with those gifts is how much Jesus loves us. In this all-encompassing arena of making faithful use of God’s gifts, what really matters is knowing the Master. Love is what’s in his heart for you. Let it be love that is in your heart for him. There need be no regrets that you’ve been given but one life to live for your Savior because through him you have been given an eternal life to live for your Savior. Give your entire self to him, and just one small way you can do that is to have an open mind to proportionate giving. Amen.

Printable PDF:  1-3-2021 Christmas 2 Sermon

Pastor Clark  ~  John 7:40-43  ~  January 3, 2021  ~  Christmas 2 Sermon

Who is Jesus?

⁴⁰On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” ⁴¹Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? ⁴²Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” ⁴³Thus the people were divided because of Jesus.

Dear friends in our Savior, Jesus,

This may sound like a public examination question, but it really isn’t meant to. Who is Jesus? Now, please note, I’m not asking, “Who is Jesus to you?” That’s really a far different question, and it leads us down all kinds of subjective dead ends. If you have listened to any of the popular Christian songs of our day or hear what the general public says about Jesus, you will recognize the problem. A time when people had a better Biblical literacy than ours was the time that Jesus walked among us. Even they struggled. So, WHO IS JESUS?

1. He is the Christ who brings us spiritual, heavenly peace.

⁴⁰On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” ⁴¹Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? ⁴²Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?”

Jesus had gone secretly to Jerusalem to one of the three major Jewish festivals called the Feast of Tabernacles. While he was there he taught in the temple courts in such an authoritative way and with such understanding that people asked who he was.

There were all kinds of speculation. Little conversations crept up among the people of the crowd who heard what Jesus had to say. Maybe he was the prophet. That is a reference to the Old Testament: (Deuteronomy 18:18) ¹⁸I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. They thought maybe that’s who Jesus was.

Others speculated that he was the Messiah, and that opened up a whole new can of worms. They knew Jesus was from Nazareth but that the Messiah was supposed to come from Bethlehem. They knew enough to know this prophecy, but they didn’t know enough about Jesus to realize that he had been born in Bethlehem. So there was confusion.

Those kinds of situations happen today, too. Especially the one where people know a little bit about Jesus but not too much. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Not knowing who Jesus is leads people today to think that some sins are “not that bad.” It leads people to think that repentance is nothing more than saying you’re sorry for your sins, completely leaving out a change in actions. It leads people to treat worship services like a binge worthy Netflix show…I’ll fast forward to the parts I like the most.

Do you know who Jesus is? Jesus is the Prophet who Moses said would come. He is the Messiah to which prophecies from the Bible and eyewitnesses like his mother, his stepfather, the angels, and the shepherds all testify. As the Christ, Jesus came to be the Savior from sins, the least of which is damnable, even if it is the sin of ignorance. He came to remove the guilt from our lives instead of letting it be the motivation in our lives. Jesus is the Christ who brings spiritual, heavenly peace.

2. He is the Christ who causes earthly division.

That’s what the Bible says, but that doesn’t mean everyone will appreciate it. Many people will want Jesus to be what they want him to be. That was true at this feast of the Tabernacles. ⁴³Thus the people were divided because of Jesus.

With all the murmuring going on among the crowd, they didn’t agree. They didn’t agree with Jesus, and they didn’t agree with each other. This wasn’t the only time this happened. (John 9:16; 10:19). People couldn’t be neutral when it came to Jesus.

Just a few nights ago we gathered and sang, “Sleep in heavenly peace” from “Silent Night.” But do people even understand that? People hear those words and point to the homeless and question how we could sing such a thing. Many think Christ’s church exists to feed the hungry or pay their electric bill. The reasons they are confused is that they don’t know who Jesus is.

I know this can sound harsh because in the deep recesses of our hearts, it’s not what we would like Jesus to be. Maybe we should listen to Jesus himself:  (Matthew 10:34) ³⁴“Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. He also said in Luke 12:49-53: ⁴ “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! ⁵¹Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. ⁵²From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. ⁵³They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Should this concern you and me? It should because it comes down to who Jesus is. Not everyone’s idea is correct. And that’s not popular at this time of year when we just want to enjoy our families and our celebrations.

God sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world. He sent him to walk in our shoes for an entire lifetime the way he wants us all to walk. And when Jesus was done, God took out his payment for all our subjectivity and our rebellion on Jesus. He then raised him to show to all that Jesus had succeeded for you and me. All the rest of it is meaningless without this. That’s who Jesus is. Don’t be led astray by your own desires or become uncertain about him no matter what other people may say. He isn’t uncertain about you. Amen.