Sixth Sunday after Holy Trinity
Sixth Sunday after Holy Trinity
The Sixth Sunday after Holy Trinity
July 23, 2017
Texts: Exodus 20:1-17; Romans 6:1-11; Matthew 5:20-26; LSB #562 All Mankind Fell in Adam’s Fall
Grace and mercy to your from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Amen)
Our sermon text is from Romans 6:1-4 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Thus far the text. Let us pray:
Merciful Father, who desires not the death of a sinner and who yet knows that all mankind fell in Adam's fall and one common sin infects us all; from sire to son the bane descends, and over all the curse impends. But Christ, the second Adam, came to bear our sin and woe and shame, to be our Life, our Light, our Way, our only Hope, our only Stay. For as by one man all mankind fell and, born in sin, was doomed to hell, so by one Man, who took our place, we all received the gift of grace. Keep us dear Father, in this grace….
In the name of Jesus (Amen)
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Greek mythology has a character named Narcissus. Narcissus was a hunter. Narcissus was known for his beauty. Narcissus was proud, in that he disdained those who loved him. Nemesis, another mythological character, noticed this behavior and attracted Narcissus to a pool. Narcissus saw his own reflection in the water and fell in love with it, not realizing it was merely an image. Unable to leave the beauty of his reflection, Narcissus lost his will to live. He stared at his reflection until he died.
Narcissus is the origin of the term narcissism, a fixation with oneself and one's physical appearance and/or public perception.
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
A very real and renown narcissist was released from prison last week. O.J. Simpson took 30 minutes talking about himself before claiming responsibility for the crime that sent him to prison. He claimed that a major goal of his new civilian life is to live as a better Baptist.
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Narcissists spend a lot of time staring at themselves. Staring at their image in the mirror or on facebook.
Narcissists spend a lot of money on themselves. Buying new clothes, new toys; spending more than they can afford.
Narcissists spend a lot of thought thinking about their great thoughts. Talking about themselves during work meetings, in the teachers classroom, during Happy Hour. All topics are about themselves.
Narcissists love themselves more than anyone else.
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
No, we should not continue to sin which means to love ourselves more than anyone else. Why? Because you are a new person since you are baptized and believing in Jesus Christ.
You don’t spend your time focusing on you. Well, if you do then may God repent you of your sin-fullness because you have just found your repentance for this morning.
Rather, you are looking to Jesus. He has made you a new creation. The old narcissist is passing away. The new creature - which you are - is begun and will never end even though you wait for the resurrection of your body from the dead.
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Let us learn to answer with God’s answer, saying: Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
You are the Narcissists that fell into the pond. You are baptized and those who believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You are now different than you were before you were baptized and believing.
How so? The splash stopped your navel gazing. You are not focused on yourself like you once were. You look to Jesus. Every day is now a drowning of the Old Adam and rising of the New Man because you are baptized and believing.
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Well, now you know with your heads. God our Father speaks in this text that you are a different person. You are baptized into Jesus Christ. You are baptized into Jesus’ death.
You are now dead to sin because you are baptized and believing.
A brief example. In the beginning, you did not hear God say ‘Let there be light’. However, today you see light and you know that God did it because He said it. In a similar manner, but opposite in your experience, today you hear God say ‘You are dead to sin!’ but you do not see all the results.
In both cases, God spoke. He said, “Let there be light” and there was light. And He said, “You are dead to sin” and you are dead to sin.
What are dead people really good at doing? That’s right, nothing. They just lay there. So also, when it comes to sin, you do nothing. Why? Becaused you are baptized and believing. You are a new creation.
What kinds of things are you dead to? What kinds of things bring about no response from you who are baptized and believing in Jesus Christ?
Let’s look at a part of the list in Galatians 5 to show you who God says you are not:
You are not adulterers (if you are married) and you are not fornicators (if you are unmarried). That is not who you are. You can be tempted but you don’t act on the temptation.
You are not unclean (watchers of pornography).
You are not lewd (filthy talkers).
You are not idolaters (you do not try to keep up with the Jones’. When are friend gets new stuff you do not act on the impulse to go out and do the same.
You are not sorcerers (dabblers in magic)
Hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, and dissensions are not enjoyable to you like they once were.
You delight in Christ’s teaching rather than heresies and the like.
You are different because you now recognize that you are not beautiful, but Jesus is. You look to Jesus who is the author and perfecter of your faith.
Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
No, even though grace does abound.
Who are you? You are those born from above; born of the Holy Spirit by water and the Word.
What are the fruits of this birth?
Love. Narcissists are unable to love other people. Your Father loves you like this, He sent His only-begotten Son to die for you. Now you are the ones who receive His love. And now you are the ones who genuinely love other people, even enemies. You are a new creation.
Joy. You remember the Three Wise Men who visited the infant Jesus at Epiphany. “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.” You too rejoice that the Savior comes to you. Jesus comes to you and fills you with joy. A little more each time you meet with Him. You are a new creation.
You have peace with God. Your heard it said to the shepherds keeping watch at night, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Jesus makes peace between you and God.
You delight in showing mercy to those who need mercy (e.g. The Mercy-Fund). You delight in showing kindness to those who need kindness. Goodness to those who need goodness. Faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to those who need the same.
So, back to the question, Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Well, no because your sinful nature is passing away while at the same time you are a new creature in Jesus Christ. You are the baptized and believing ones who delight in looking to the Author and Perfecter of your faith. Jesus Christ our Lord.
Jesus is beautiful. And with His gifts of repentance and faith in Christ, Jesus makes you beautiful too; in the name of Jesus. (Amen)
Second Sunday after Holy Trinity
Second Sunday after Holy Trinity
Luke 14: 16-24; 1John 3:13-18; Proverbs 9:1-10; Hymn 622 Lord Jesus Christ, You have prepared
June 25, 2017 Also anniversary of the Augsburg Confession of 1530.
Introduction: Welcome to the Great Banquet.
It became a Sunday tradition. The Pautz family was living in Bangkok, Thailand. I was learning to live on missionary pay rather than Sr. Chemist at a Fortune 100 company. There was this hotel that had the most amazing Sunday brunch. In the U.S. it would probably cost $70-80 person but over there it was less than $10. Carved roast beef, fresh sushi, assorted dishes, soups, breads, desserts. You name it. It was there. All you could eat. What shocked us the most? No one was there! There were more restaurant employees than guests. Like I said, for us, it became an almost every Sunday brunch after the Thai church services & Bible studies were over.
Our Lord has prepared a Greater Banquet. What shocks our God the most? It is this: The vast majority of Jews and Gentiles refuse to attend the Great Banquet. They refuse to taste the Gospel. Or if they give the Gospel a taste, they turn away from it desiring their own junk food.
Your creator Father is the host of this Greatest of all Banquets. He has spent much effort preparing for the day He would serve it. The entire Old Testament is a record of the effort and tender care He put into it. Your Father promised this meal while Adam and Eve were still in the Garden. Feast on any fruit except one. But Adam and Eve were like teenagers who often argue against their parents. Adam and Eve were escorted out of the Banquet Hall. But already then and there, the Lord began preparations to bring them back to His great feast. Your Father promised to send His house servant, Jesus Christ, to do what no one else could. Jesus did the will of the Father.
The whole Old Testament is a record of God making preparations to restore Adam and Eve and all their children including you to the Great Banquet of the Gospel. Moses prophesied. The prophets came and went. Finally, John the Baptist announces the arrival of Jesus. Jesus is the Great Banquet. All would be ready upon the completion of His death and resurrection in accordance with the Holy Scripture.
Jesus went through all Israel during His earthly ministry. Most Jews wanted no taste of the Gospel.
The Father is getting agitated. “Then go to the Gentiles so they may come to My Gospel”.
Jews and Gentiles have this in common. The majority excuse themselves from this feast with its eternal benefit - life. Unbelief is the sin that angers you Father. Unbelief is a spiritual disease. Today’s parable diagnoses the three general symptoms of unbelief.
For example, I just bought a field and I need to inspect it. Please excuse me, I have a ball game and won’t attend to the Lord’s banquet.
Another example, I just bought five animals and must go and examine them. Excuse me, this is our day to go shopping or we have travel plans so we won’t attend the Lord’s banquet.
Finally, for this morning, I just got married. Sunday morning is the only time we have together as a family in the midst of work schedules and school schedules and all the other schedules that claim our time. So, I’m not even apologizing but telling you I are not going to the Lord’s banquet.
Sports, shopping, family time are all good things. God created your body and sports is a great reason to strengthen what God has given. God gave you a job and shopping or traveling and such and it is good to enjoy the benefits of hard work. God gave you a family and spending time together with each other is more than good.
But sports, travel, or family BBQs have become your god if you find yourselves making excuses to avoid feasting on God’s Word whether at church or at home or both. If the Christian faith is an add-on to your more important pursuits then you have found your repentance for this morning.
Your God does get irritated with your excuses. To Him, you sound like a teenager who won’t accept that your parents are probably correct so you keep badgering them to let you go your own teenage way.
And yet, God still loves you dearly. He sent His only-begotten Son into this disordered world. Born of a woman, born under the Law that some might be saved.
But, but but, … your constant excuses can still on His nerves.
A few weeks ago we heard from John chapter 3 that Jesus was not sent into this world to judge the world. Without the love of God in Christ, all are condemned. You can’t change the verdict of the Law. We have all fallen short of the glory of God. You can’t change that.
But, but, but ... Jesus provides another way. Jesus does the Father’s will. Jesus fulfills the Law and gives you the benefits. A main purpose of God’s Law is to show you your sin and that you can do nothing about your situation before God. But Jesus was sent into this world, born of a woman, born under the law (Gal) that some might be saved. So stop your unbelief. Rather, be baptized and believing in the Christ.
Jesus does the will of the Father. The Father sent Jesus to be the Great Banquet.
Today, Jesus is doing that. He continues to find the spiritually poor and crippled and blind and lame to fill His Father’s banquet hall. Jesus continues to go to the highways and hedges. Jesus compels those with the Word of God to come to the feast. You have nothing. You are the poor and crippled and lame. You know this from God’s Word. His Law. But He found you with God’s Word. His Gospel.
Let me speak what we already sang (LSB 622:5):
5 Though reason cannot understand,
Yet faith this truth embraces;
Your body, Lord, is even now
At once in many places.
I leave to You how this can be;
Your Word alone suffices me;
I trust its truth unfailing.
This is the faith you are given.
You can’t understand it like you want but you embrace it.
You don’t know how this can be but you leave that to the Lord.
And yet you feast at the Great Banquet. You trust Jesus.
God’s Word alone suffices you. You believe Jesus.
The Great Banquet doesn’t surprise you but rather the Great Unbelief does.
That is why it is good for your to hear a little bit about a Great Event that happened on this day in the year 1530. On June 25, 1530 a Great Confession was made to the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The same emperor that kicked Martin Luther out of his kingdom. But it was not pastors making the confession. It was the people. Several princes, representing the people, signed what is called the Augsburg Confession. As they presented it to the emperor, knowing that they could be put to death, the princes told the emperor that there would be no compromise. So, bending one knee to the ground and lowering their heads, they told the emperor to accept this Augsburg Confession even if he demanded their heads with it.
The Great Banquet produces this Great Faith even and especially in the midst of unbelief.
To this day, when people build new churches they often inscribe the letters U.A.C. into the cornerstone of the building. The Unaltered Augsburg Confession. It is printed in your Book of Concord. The Concordia.
You might not know the history of the Christian Church but you have tasted the Great Banquet. Keep enjoying it; in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
First Sunday after Holy Trinity
First Sunday after Holy Trinity Sunday June 18, 2017
Title: I am your shield - Holy Scripture is the Inerrant Word of God by which God works in you saving faith.
Grace and mercy to you from God our Father and the Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
It is written in Luke 16 - 29 Abraham said to the rich man being tormented in hell, ‘Your brothers have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And the damned man said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ”
Thus far the text. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, whose Holy Spirit wrote your inerrant Holy Scriptures through the prophets and apostles, grant us to so ….. Read, hear, learn and inwardly digest them so that… through You Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
Summary: Holy Scripture (Moses & the prophets) is inerrant because it is inspired by God. Therefore, Holy Scripture is God’s Word. The difference between the rich man and Lazarus is not their outward appearance but their inward unbelief or faith. The rich man is not an immoral man but highly respected by the world. Yet he shows forth no fruits of faith or love. His daily delight is in his expensive clothes and fine food, rather than the Word of God. A fruit of this unbelief is his lack of love for his neighbor. An example of rich men today are those who teach that Holy Scripture is errant or that only the Gospel is inerrant. Lazarus is despised by the world. No one desires to be like him. Yet he clings to the inerrant Holy Scripture which has the power to save him. He would show love to his neighbor but has no opportunity. And yet, he is teaching us the faith to this day. Let us cling to Moses and the prophets like Lazarus.
God is the author. Therefore, Moses and the prophets are without error. God’s Holy Scripture is beautiful because He is beautiful God’s Holy Scripture is inerrant because God does not err.
Isn’t that fabulous. You have in your hands the Book that God wrote. His thoughts and His ways are not hidden. Open His Book and you hear God. Open it here at church. Open it at home. Open it in your car. Open it during a break at work. Memorize beauty and truth as God writes to you.
Unfortunately, few Christians believe this. I know the scoffer dismisses an inerrant Holy Scripture. God hates scoffers. But, Christians are following the fad. Christians are denying what Holy Scripture says about itself. Let them hear Holy Scripture again.
For “All Scripture is God breathed and useful for rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21).
“Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me/Jesus” (John 5:39).
Now some say the Gospel is inerrant. They would say that has the power to save from sin. However, these Christians would claim that only the Gospel is inerrant. But also, the history has errors. And also, the culture has changed. These Christians would also say that the Bible is full of errors and contradictions.
For example, this Christian who holds to an error free Gospel will believe that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, but will deny that God created everything in six days. Another example, this Christian who holds to an error free Gospel will believe that God instituted marriage, but will deny that a wife should subordinate herself to her husband as the church subordinates itself to the Lord. This denies the inerrancy of Scripture. If you believe in the Gospel but reject an inerrant Holy Scripture, you have found your repentance for this morning. Repent from your unbelief but rather believe that the Holy Lord could write clearly to you on any topic he chose.
The rich man and Lazarus show us the difference between unbelief and faith. Let’s take a closer look at these men to help illustrate a current crisis in the Christian church today. But let us not look at outward appearances. Let us instead look at their faith and love.
First, rich man. The rich man is not an immoral man. He is not an adulterer or thief. He is a hard working and upright man. He is the kind of man we would like to be. He wears expensive clothes. He enjoys fine food. He invites many people to his parties. He is respected by his many guests and members of the community. There is nothing wrong with that. Abraham, Job, and David were men of great wealth and fame. So what makes these men different from the rich man?
Abraham sought his wealth in the promises of God. He refused to take any war plunder from other kings. Abraham did not want anyone think he received his wealth from anyone but God. He gave a tenth of all he had to Melchizedek. Abraham would give up his wealth to remain faithful to the Holy Scriptures and its God. The rich man in our text loved his wealth more than God.
Job lost his wealth. In Job’s poverty we see his faith. Job mourns the death of his children and servants. Job mourns the loss of his health. However, Job remain faithful to the Holy Scriptures and its God. The rich man didn’t mourn until he was in hell. But that was too late.
King David would have preferred to remain a private citizen. He would have preferred to remain a shepherd of sheep rather than king of a nation. David would have gladly given up the kingship except God wanted David to serve His people that way. So, David served the nation. The rich man delighted daily in his public reputation. He had no desire to become an unknown, private citizen.
The rich man shows us the nature of unbelief. Unbelief has no regard for Holy Scripture or its God. And the only way God wishes to be regarded is through His commands and promises. And these God has put into writing through Moses and the prophets. Holy Scripture is God’s Word.
Today, who are the rich men? One example, seminary and college professors who teach that Holy Scripture is not to be trusted. They teach that Holy Scripture contains errors. They don’t agree what the errors are. They argue that you need their knowledge to figure this out. And who do they teach? A second example, future pastors who sit at the feet of these unbelieving rich men. And who do the pastors teach? A final example, the mom’s and dad’s who are doing their best to hand the living Word of God to their children.
Every seminary in the U.S. has gone through this controversy. Is Holy Scripture God’s inerrant Word or not? In each case except two, Christian seminaries have concluded the Holy Scripture has errors. The two exceptions are the Southern Baptist Convention and the two seminaries of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. The Missouri seminaries continued to believe, teach, and confess the Holy Scripture is God’s inerrant Word. The bad news is the controversy continues.
The rich man delighted daily in his worldly wealth and reputation. Teachers experience the same temptation. However, to hold to the inerrancy of Holy Scripture is to be looked on as a poor beggar in the academic community and to be covered in unsightly sores in a local congregation. The two indications that a teacher does not hold to an inerrant Scripture is:
First, the refusal to teach a six day creation. Each day being one evening and morning. They argue that there are multiple uses for the word - day. No, one day is one evening and morning cycle. Regarding a description of God’s patience versus man’s, Scripture says that one day of man’s patience is like a thousand years of God’s patience. God is more patient than you. But errancy teachers have greater respect for man’s science of evolution than God’s inerrant and Holy Scripture.
Second, the refusal to teach subordination is a Christian family. Husband and wife are to subordinate themselves under God. God promises to provide for both. And also, the wife is to subordinate herself to her husband. God promises to provide for both. And finally, the man, subordinated to God, promises to care for his wife. It’s not an excuse to be mean just as there is no excuse to teach against Holy Scripture. God will provide His Word to strengthen the man in his subordination to God and his headship to his wife. And God will provide His Word to strengthen the wife in her Godly subordination to both God and husband. But errancy teachers have greater respect for man’s philosophy of feminism that God’s inerrant and Holy Scripture.
This is our repentance for today. Repent of our unbelief. Teach the inerrancy of Holy Scripture whether you are a seminary professor, or pastor, or a mom or dad.
And you do. This congregation has much in common with Lazarus. You trust Holy Scripture is God’s Word. You trust God created you. You trust God to continue to provide for you.
You also carry the sores of Lazarus. You are accused of being old-fashioned because you love God’s Holy Scripture. You are accused of being strict because you practice what God’s Holy Scripture teaches. You are accused of foolishness because you trust God created you and provides for you in every time of need.
But there is nothing wrong with these sores. The Lord has said you will not receive your good things here and now. You, like Lazarus, will one day receive only good things. Come quickly Lord Jesus. It is written in Genesis, the Lord said to Abraham “I am your Shield.” Abraham believed this. God counted this faith as Abraham’s righteousness.
The world sees your sores. They see a building that is not so worldly beautiful as to be a daily delight. They see a congregation that is placed at the front gate of worldly success, but goes unnoticed by the rich men. You feel the worldly poorness that is a result of holding to Holy Scripture alone.
You know the affliction of Lazarus. Your delight is in your heavenly Father. You interact with Him in the only way He has promised to come to you in grace and mercy. You interact with God by hearing Holy Scripture. Your faith comes by hearing.
And Jesus carries your sores in His crucified body. All Holy Scripture is about Jesus. And Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. One day, Gabriel the archangel came and spoke to the Virgin Mary. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in that speaking on that day. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary on another day, the day of Jesus’ birth. Jesus suffered many sores on the day of Pontius Pilate and on that same day was crucified and died. On the third day, Jesus rose from the dead. Forty days after that Jesus ascended to the Father. Fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus gave the promised Holy Spirit just as He promised according to the written Words of Moses and the prophets. Jesus is the Lord of His church. He governs all creation according to the commands and promises written by Moses and the prophets. Jesus governs heaven and earth according to His Holy Scripture.
The scientific method cannot give comfort in the face of sin and death. Hear today that Jesus died for you in accordance with the Scriptures. He gives His life to the weak so that they might not die eternally.
Feminism cannot give comfort in the face of sin and death. Hear today that Jesus subordinated Himself to the will of the Father. For “when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to be the atoning sacrifice for them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4).
It makes no difference whether you are strong or weak; male or female. By faith in Christ, you are now first born sons of God; in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The peace of God which passes understanding, protect and keep you in Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
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