“We Proclaim Him” (Colossians 1:28-29)

S-1203 8/15/10 10SAP/3C Hymns: (O) #15; S#496; (C) #507

Texts: Jeremiah 1:4-10; Colossians 1:21-31; Matthew 28:16-20

Theme: “We Proclaim Him” (Colossians 1:28-29)

Question: Are You Proclaiming Him?

Armour, SD SOLI DEO GLORIA

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleuia. The text for our meditation is from the Epistle lesson: “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.” (1:28-29).

IN NOMINE IESU,

People of God, CHOSEN and BELOVED, my beloved professor and spiritual father Louis Brighton told us a story while a student at the seminary and it stuck with me ever since. (Please hear my spiritual father tell the story) During WWII, 2 young men 18-19 were drafted into the American army. During Basic Training they became close buddies, close allies; because they realized when they would be sent overseas to France to fight against the German army, they needed to depend on each other, and hold on to each other. One of the young men was a dedicated Christian. He read his Bible every day. He prayed. The other buddy was an agnostic, didn’t believe in anything. The Christian buddy witnessed to his unbelieving buddy but to no avail. But still, despite this gulf they still remained close buddies.

They were shipped overseas. After about 6 months, they were on reconnaissance in No Man’s Land between the German army and the American army. They were crawling on their bellies, with the rifles on their shoulders. The unbelieving buddy was quite a bit ahead of his believing buddy. All of a sudden the Germans began to shell. The believing buddy started to holler, “He is going to be hit! He is going to be hit!” So he got up, runs and puts his own body over the unbeliever’s body. When the shelling finally ceased, the Christian buddy rolled over, mortally wounded. The unbelieving buddy with tears in his eyes said, “Why did you do that?” The believing buddy said, “I know Jesus, you don’t and you are not ready yet”. And he died. They took the wounded unbelieving buddy back to base hospital in France. And for the first time in his life he began to read his Bible and pray.

The French nurse who attended him was a wonderful Christian. They formed a good relationship and visited often about the Bible. He asked her many questions about Christianity. One day the unbeliever asked the nurse, “What day did they bring me from the battle field wounded?” “It was Good Friday” she said. “Oh, he said. That is the day my Lord died for me. And my buddy died for me to help me come to know Jesus.” PAUSE.

After the war was over, he was sent to a hospital in the States. 3 months went by; he recovered well enough to leave the hospital. He contacted the parents of his Christian buddy. “I would like to see you if you permit me, because I would like to tell you how your son died.” They readily agreed to the meeting.

At the appointed time, he limped into the house evidence of his wounds. He told them the story. “I have been encouraged by your son to commit my life to Jesus. For he not only died to save me physically but spiritually. I want to give my life to Jesus and do what he did even to die if necessary to help someone come to know Jesus.” That is a powerful transformation from unbelieving to committed, from death to life!

BELOVED in the Lord, If only every Pastor and lay person would have the same attitude like this Christian buddy—give his life for the sake of his friend so that he may know the Savior; we would be confessing and proclaiming Him to the World. PAUSE.

In John chapter 15, Jesus said: “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you’” (15:12-13). If all of us have this attitude to be willing to die for the sake of others so that they may know Jesus, more people would come to know that they are not meant to live in this world with pain and grief, but rather in the presence of the One who gave His life for them—Jesus Christ the greatest buddy the world has ever known.

Jesus’ heroic act of sacrificing His life not only for His friends but for His enemies is the greatest act of love the world has ever witnessed. Jesus’ death brings life, Jesus’ suffering brings salvation, Jesus’ blood gives us boldness, and Jesus’ mercy gives us a message that changes the world one soul at a time.

Today, as we observe Seminary Sunday. I challenge you to proclaim Him. By virtue of your call as a baptized child of God, do the right thing—even to be willing to die for another so that they may know Jesus. Proclaim Him in word and deed saints in Christ. PAUSE.

As a Christian you have a great and noble purpose for your life. You are a messenger of Jesus. Through your sharing of the gospel, people will be saved forever. How amazing that Jesus would choose you! But that is what He did! Jesus gave us this command together with a promise: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes will be saved” (Mark 16:15-16) PAUSE.

It is my great privilege and honor, as your pastor, to proclaim this same Jesus, and the mystery of the riches of His glory to you, the BELOVED and CHOSEN people of Redeemer week after week, for a total of some 1150 sermons and 840 Bible studies. I have been blessed to have learned this great and glorious mystery of Christ from other pastors, both seminary professors I had and other pastors who taught me both before and after my seminary days. They proclaimed Jesus to me, warning and teaching me with all wisdom, just as they learned it from the generation before them, and those from the generation before them, all the way back to and dependent upon Paul and the other apostles and prophets our Lord chose to reveal Himself to.

Many of you first learned this wondrous and mysterious message about Christ from your parents, and from other pastors and teachers you’ve had through the years and when you were members at other congregations.

What a blessing to be with you today working together as pastor and people to proclaim Him. For 69 years this place has stood for one reason only—to get the message out. This place is not here to do weddings, funerals or social activities, though we do these as part and parcel of the ministry. But the main reason this place exist is to proclaim Him to a condemned world. For the past 16 years you have helped me get the message straight and out to the world. For all of these things, I can say along with Paul “for this I toil (a good and blessed toil), struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works within me.” I know that I could never do these things on my own by my own energy or power, but I give thanks to God that His Holy Spirit continues to work among us powerfully, that “we may present everyone mature in Christ.”

We proclaim Him. I, like Paul, always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when I pray for you (1:3). I give thanks for the partnership in the Gospel (Philippians 1:5) we have together. I would not be able to proclaim Him with the authority of the pastoral office, warning and teaching with all the wisdom of God’s Word, were it not for the fact that you, yes you the BELOVED and CHOSEN people of God have entrusted me with the call to this office. Thank you for blessing me with such a privilege and honor to proclaim Him along with you. Amen.

Now the peace of God…

“What A Price!!! (1 Corinthians 6:20)

S-1202 8/14/10 10SAP/3C Hymns: (O) #537; #744; S#461; (C) #878 (All from LSB)

Texts: Psalm 46, 23; Acts 4:1-12; John 10:11-18

Theme: “What A Price!!! (1 Corinthians 6:20)

Question: What did it cost God to save you?

Armour, SD SOLI DEO GLORIA celebration of New Life of Donald Ray Peiman

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleuia. The text for the celebration of the new life for our departed brother is his confirmation text from Paul’s letter to the Church of Corinth: “For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Cor. 6:20).

IN NOMINE IESU,

Family and friends, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has gathered us by His Holy Spirit to celebrate the life of our dear departed brother Don and to receive from that same God the precious comfort that comes in His Holy Word. Our Lord’s precious Word brings us to the talk of cost. We know about cost don’t we?

Let me ask you. What would happen if you visited a car dealership and drove away with a car without paying? More than likely you would head to jail for grand theft. While there is no crime to shopping, have you priced a car lately?

Let me ask you a second question. Have you tried to buy a car/truck lately? If you have you know that the coast for new vehicles is very pricy. Most people can’t afford to buy a new vehicle, so they resort to making payments. It is interesting to note that the advertisement industry today, don’t sell you cars, but sell you payment plans. For only $340.00 a month you can own this 2010 Dodge Truck.

Today, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul tells us of the cost that was paid for the unbeliever. Listen again to the text please: “For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. Notice what Paul states here, “YOU WERE BOUGHT with a price.

Have you ever considered the price paid for the soul of Donald and all believers? Consider this event. Jesus is walking on the streets of Jerusalem. On His journey He encounters Satan standing guard over a prison-cell filled with unbelievers. They have no hope of escape—they have no hope period. Jesus looks at the cell and asks, “What’s to become of these?” Satan answers with far too much glee, “The Law condemned them to death. The Law has them prisoners. There is no escape. They will spend eternity with me in torment! They will suffer with me forever in the fiery hell!” It is then that Jesus looks heavenward. “Father,” He prays. “What would the price be to set them free?” The Father’s voice answers, “There is only one price, My Son. Your life for theirs!” Without hesitation, Jesus replies, “It is done! My Life for theirs, Father!”

And so it was that Jesus paid for the soul of Donald our departed brother. Not with gold or silver, but as Peter reminds us; with His holy innocent blood on the cross of Calvary (1Peter 1:19) and as the author to the Hebrews teaches: “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2).

When Donald’s father picked this text for his son’s confirmation text, he knew the meaning of the word “BOUGHT with a price.” The Greek word used is in the aorist, passive, indicative. To you it means nothing, but to Paul and every other preacher it means that the payment paid was not an installment plan—so much every month, but one time payment—a full payment for the souls of all of humanity.

And that payment was costly. For 6 hours Jesus hung on the cross. For 6 hours He tasted hell. For 6 hours He suffered the wrath of God. For 6 hours blood dripped from His aching body. For 6 hours His tongue stuck to the roof of His mouth. For 6 hours His lips cracked under the Palestinian sun. For 6 hours He paid the full payment for Donald, you and me so that we may never taste hell or suffer under the torture of our arch enemy Satan.

Paul brings comfort to all of us who trust by the Spirit’s power in the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That we, too, have been bought with a price—the price paid on Calvary’s cross to free sinners from the shackles and prison of Satan. Donald too, was bought with a price and what a price it was.

That is the first part of the text, but the second part is just as important. Paul tells us to honor God with our body.

This Donald did. Not because he was so good. Not to earn salvation. Not because he lived the perfect life. You know, and I know that he was a sinner in need of God’s redeeming grace. His adopted Father, Pastor Peiman understood that very well so that on January 4, 1936; he took him in his arms and with simple water and Word baptized him in the Name of the Triune God—Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. That was the beginning of honoring God with His life.

Under the watchful eyes of his father, Don was instructed in the faith and on April 29, 1945 he confessed the faith as he stepped to the Altar to receive Christ’s body and blood for the forgiveness of his sins and the strengthening of his faith. As he became a young man, he met a young lady that would become his wife—Virginia Knodel who would help him to continue to honor God in his life.

These two became parochial school teachers. By the grace of God, they were blessed with two sons—Gregory and James who they brought to the Lord’s house, to baptize them and continued to bring them to Church so that the next generation would honor God as well. PAUSE.

Throughout his earthly life Don honored God as much as humanly possible. In the few times I visited with him when they returned to SD, I learned and saw his love for God, devotion to his family and to the Church family.

I remember vividly the call I got shortly after his mother-in-law Lea passed away. “Pastor, my wife and I would like to do something in honor of my mother-in-law. What memorials can we give to the church that might help the church continue doing its ministry—of spreading the Gospel?” At the time of the call, we were preparing to replace the pews. I informed him of our plans. And he said, “We will give enough money to purchase one pew!”

This man honored God with his life, not so that he may win God’s approval, but rather to bring glory to the God who paid for his life with His innocent, holy, precious blood. Donald understood the gift of salvation. Donald in his own hand writing chose some verses to be used for his funeral. From the book of Acts: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). And from 1 John: “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 cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). PAUSE.

Dear friends, we heard the words of Paul this day. But better than that, we have the life of Don as a testimony of that word. In it you are exhorted to live a life worthy of the name you bear—Christians! The price paid for us leads us by the Spirit’s power to actions that befit it. Remember, Donald and YOU are free. What a price has been paid! AMEN

Now the peace…

SOLI DEO GLORIA

NOTHING BUT PURE GRACE

NOTHING BUT PURE GRACE

“As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him…the servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go” (Matthew 18:24, 27).

As you read the parable taught by Jesus, you wonder can this really be true. We say, “It doesn’t make any sense,” “Impossible,” “unbelievable”. Indeed, how could the master forgive that servant such mammoth, massive and colossal debt? At the time of the story the amount owed would have been close to $10 million. Today, we would have to talk in the Trillions of dollars—like the national debt of our country.

The question needs to be asked again to sink in. Why would the master do such a thing to wipe out the debt completely? Not because the destitute and penniless debtor deserved it but because the master had pity on him. This is NOTHING BUT PURE GRACE

Now bring this closer to home—to you personally. We say, “It doesn’t make any sense,” “Impossible,” “unbelievable”. But is this not what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for me the sinner? The Lord of the Church Jesus looks at the ton­nage of sin that bends the shoulders of my soul. He looks at my abilities and sees nothing that can help me get rid of that horri­ble weight. He notices that no matter how hard I try, how many prayers I lift up, how many good deeds I do, I still fall short.

So, God springs into action as ONLY God can. He lifts those sins off me and puts them on the One who CAN carry them. The prophet Isaiah put it this way: “The lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all,” (Isaiah 53:6). Take your Bibles out and read that verse again and highlight the word “him” in bold red color. When Isaiah says “him” he is pointing to Jesus, the sin­less Son of God. On Him God heaped, piled and stacked the sins of the world (yours and mine too) and through Him hurled them forever into the depths of the sea. With my sins paid by Jesus’ blood, I can stand debt free before God. This is NOTHING BUT PURE GRACE

It is told that the English pastor who penned the hymn “Rock of Ages” estimated that by the time a person reached the age of 20, he had sinned 630 million times. By the age of 50, he sup­posed the count had gone up to a billion and a half sins. Not sure what it will be at 70 or 80 years old, but am sure it has gone out of the roof. I am not a mathematician and therefore, I don't know how good that pastor’s math was. However, I am a theologian and do know how numerous my sins are and so do you. And we don't even know half of them. But thank God I also know that Jesus bore them all when God laid on Him the iniquity of us all. This is NOTHING BUT PURE GRA CE

John Newton an English poet and clergyman (1725–1807), wrote a Christian Hymn “Amazing Grace” and published it in 1779. With a message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of the sins people commit and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God, “Amazing Grace” is one of the most recognizable and loved songs in the English-speaking world.

No wonder people love this hymn, because after all this is NOTHING BUT PURE GRACE. Here are a couple of stanzas to cause you to reflect and give thanks to the Lord, Jesus Christ who took upon His shoulders the sins of humanity:

Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see.

‘Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear,
And Grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

The blessings of Grace received is not because we deserve it, but because God Himself is gracious, compassionate and merciful. He doesn’t wish anyone to get to hell, but all to be saved and come to the knowledge of the TRUTH (1Timothy 2:4)

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ makes this Grace freely available every time the Word is read and proclaimed. It is Grace upon Grace that is freely offered at Redeemer. Here, hearts are touched by this GRACE so that sinners leave un-burdened, un-shackled and un-weighted by sins, its shame and consequences and their hearts are over flowing with this pure and lovely sweet GRACE; but hearts filled with GRACE upon GRACE. THIS IS NOTHING BUT PURE GRACE!!!

In Christ’s love and in His service,

Rev. Nabil S. Nour Pastor and Foot Washer Phil. 1:6

“ONLY God Can…” (Psalm 49:7-8, 15)

S-1201 8/01/10 10SAP/3C Hymns: (O) #349; S#201; (C) #400

Texts: Ecclesiastes1:2, 12-14; 2:18-26; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21

Theme: “ONLY God Can…” (Psalm 49:7-8, 15)

Question: What price do you put on your life?

Armour, SD SOLI DEO GLORIA

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleuia. The text for our meditation is the Introit: “Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice…But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me” (Ps. 49:7-8, 15).

People of God, CHOSEN and BELOVED, many stories have been told and written about our POW’s being brutally mistreated in Japanese prison camps during WWII. In one of the camps, the Americans soldiers arrived while it was snowing. Their quarters were very rudely made huts with grass walls, and had no heat of any kind. Many prisoners died from pneumonia, the food was lousy and they were forced to do heavy labor under terrible conditions. Often these POW’s were beaten unconsciously by their Japanese guard (real name unknown), but he was nicknamed “The Beast.”

At the end of the day, the guards would count the shovels and picks that the POW’s used. On a particular day, the guard returned with a big frown on his face saying, “He had counted the shovels and one of them is missing. Unless the shovel is brought forth immediately, one prisoner would be put to death every hour.” All POW’s stood at attention in fear and no one dared blink or move. Finally, at what seemed like an eternity, a man came forth saying, “I took the shovel!” The guard known as “The Beast” beat him mercilessly to death with a shovel.

The next morning, when the guards were counting the shovels and picks again, it was discovered that they counted wrong. The shovel had not been missing but was in the shed all along. The man, who was brutally beaten to death, was killed needlessly. However, he offered his life as a ransom for the other comrades.

Today, as we listen to the text from the Psalm of the Sons of Korah, we are told plainly, clearly and bluntly that man CAN’T ransom another life. Oh, many have given their lives for the sake of others. There is no denying it. You know and I know that many of our brave men and women have died in battle for the sake of others. Some have even exchanged their lives so that one of their comrades can go home to his wife and new born son.

But even with this act of bravery and kindness all that the person is able to do is save and spare the life of the other person for a while. But no matter how many give their lives for the others eventually, death will come knocking down. The payment for the soul is not made possible by man; no amount of wealth can buy escape from death. Although many think they can. Many even say, “I am going to cheat death.” But every one of us living now is destined to die.

The reason for death is sin. God commanded our ancestors in the Garden of Eden, “Saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die’” (Gen. 2:16-17). Ever since that day, men and women have been dying. Death has a hold on us. Death will claim us. Death will call us. For some it is sooner than they like. But regardless death will come!

So how can we sinful, selfish and self-indulgent people save our lives or the lives of others? WE CAN’T! It is impossible with man. Man can’t and never will redeem ransom or restore the life of another. ONLY God can.

Not only is this golden nugget truth taught in our Psalm today, but throughout all of Holy Scriptures. As the Lord of the Church, Jesus Christ taught the people of Palestine in the Gospel lesson saying, “What benefit if a man gains the whole world but looses his soul?” The answer is obvious. NOTHING!

Again, when our Savior, was on the earth He confessed this truth: “I Am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one comes unto the Father, except through Me” (John 14:6). The Apostles Peter and John gave us this wisdom to hold unto. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Yet, many think they can and try to. Some even pray to saints or Mary as if they have power to save or ransom someone’s life. Not long ago I was visiting with someone who told me, “That their parent is with the Lord because the priest performed the Last Right!” No, Priest or Pop, , Politician or President, Peasant or Pastor can Ransom a soul, ONLY God can.

This is emphasized by the words of text today. In verse 7 we read these words: Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice” The words “give to God the price of his life” is from the Hebrew Cfar or kipper, Meaning covering or payment for sins. This is the same word that is used for the highest festival in the Jewish holiday known as “Yum Kippur”, “The Day of Atonement”. Again, ONLY God can make and put in place a covering for our sin! ONLY God can ransom the life of another. He is the One who can make alive from the dead.

Man can’t split the sea, but God can…Man can’t make the sun stand still, but God can…Man can’t bring food from heaven, but God can… Man can’t cause the rock to gush with water, but God can…Man can’t walk on water, but God can… Man can’t give His blood or body to save another, but God can and He does…Man can’t confess Jesus is Lord except through the Holy Spirit. ONLY God can cause us to acknowledge Him. PAUSE.

In the movie, “Men of Honor,” you hear the story of Carl Brashear. Carl Brashear is a black man wanted to be a Navy Diver in the 1960. As a black man he had no hope. But he was confident he could do it. When he left the farm for basic training his father gave him a radio with these inscriptions on the back of it. ASNF.

As the story progressed, his commanding office Master Chief Sunday did everything possible to fail Brashear even though he passed every test. When the final test was to take place, where each student had to assemble a flange 200 feet underwater using a bag of tools, Brashear’s bag was cut open. Brashear finishes the assembly and successfully completes the task after 9 hours and 31 minutes earning the quiet and suppressed admiration of Master Chief Sunday.

Master Chief Sunday had told Brashear to quit, but he wouldn’t and couldn’t. As he looked at Brashear’s father’s photo, Master Chief Sunday asked, “What did your dad say to you that keep you driving on and on?” His response was simple by the reminder of the inscriptions on the back of the radio-ASNF. A Son Never Forgets. PAUSE.

It is indeed true that a son never forgets. This truth is evident more than anywhere else except in our Big brother Jesus—The True Son of the Father. The Father had sent His Son Jesus to complete the mission not of becoming a Master Chief Diver to assemble or rescue ships, but to rescue and ransom humanity from sin, and hell and death and the power of the devil

Jesus the true Son of God never forgot His mission though many tried to get in His way. Many attempted to suppress, subdue, silence and stop Him from reaching His destination—the cross. He continued in spite of everyone’s attempt to stop Him—from the disciples, to Herod, to the Chief Priest and Pilate, but He wouldn’t and couldn’t.

So He continued His march to Calvary and there was beaten brutally and mercilessly for the sake of humanity. Even while He was on the cross for 6 full hours, people encouraged Him to save Himself and forget about the rest of the world. But A Son Never Forgets His mission and ministry to ransom you.

People of God CHOSEN and BELOVED, the POW gave his life but couldn’t spare nor save anyone’s life. Carl Brashear gave over 44 years of his life in the service of his country at a cost of 3 divorces and a lost leg but in the end he died too. But only the True Son, our God, Jesus Can and has Saved, Ransomed and Redeemed us to live with Him forever. What a blessing to know that God alone can. Amen.

Now the peace…

“Pleading Abraham and A Merciful God” (Gen. 18:23-24)

S-1200 7/25/10 9SAP/3C Hymns: (O) #40; S#773 LSB; LS. #279; #330; #327; (C) #644

Texts: Genesis 18:20-33, Colossians 2:16-15; Luke 11:1-13

Theme: “Pleading Abraham and A Merciful God” (Gen. 18:23-24)

Question: Have you pleaded with God lately?

Armour, SD SOLI DEO GLORIA

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleuia. The text for our meditation is the Old Testament lesson: “Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked” Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it?”

People of God, CHOSEN and BELOVED, the opening words of Psalm 88 are very descriptive. Listen please and see in your minds eye the plea that is sent heaven-ward by its author Asaph. “O Lord God, my savior, I cry out to you during the day and at night. Let my prayer come into your presence. Turn your ear to hear my cries” (Ps. 88:1-2). This servant of the most high God pleads with Him to turn His ear towards His supplication and hear what he is asking Him to do. This request is poignant that he doesn’t want God to be distracted at all, but to turn His full attention to him.

Today, we meet Abraham (father of many nations) pleading with God to spare the community where his nephew lot lived. The conversation is very revealing of the heart of Abraham. God comes and says, “I am about to destroy this city for their wickedness.” But Abraham pleads to the God of all mercy not do that, saying, “Would You destroy the righteous with the unrighteous?” They begin at 50 and go down all the way to ten, and God promised for the sake of 10 He wouldn’t destroy the people or the land.

This lesson teaches us much. As Abraham’s children by faith and God’s children by grace through baptism we are to ask boldly and courageously from the loving Father for all that we need.

We read in the Introit, “Call upon Me in the Day of Trouble and I will deliver you and you will honor Me!” (Psalm 50:15). This is what our God does—He hears the prayers of His people. In the Gospel account we meet Jesus who tells us to call upon the Lord. To pray to Him and He will answer our prayers. Ask the Father for what you need; He will deliver you from death and destruction.

What a privilege you and I have as the beloved children of God. We can follow the examples of Father Abraham, Asaph (author of Psalm 88, 50) and Jesus to bring our pleas, petitions and prayers before the Throne of Grace.

Ask! That’s precisely what Abraham did for Sodom and Gomorrah, for Lot his brother. These two cities perished, for here were not even ten who believed in the Lord! Lot loved his hometown. He left the fertile plain where these cities were, sojourned during their destruction in a town so small that he pled for it to be spared, and it was. Lot went from the prosperous and familiar to the poverty and faithlessness. He needed daily bread. In everything the Lord heard his cries for mercy, the Lord was with him. The Lord provided as a Father. Here is a precursor of Manna from heaven. The Lord provided for Lot!

As Abraham pled for his nephew Lot, he pleads for you, his brother, his sister. We are privileged to plead for one another today! PAUSE.

Beloved in the Lord, prayer is the privilege of family. Yes, the Privilege of Family! Jesus’ disciples know how John the Baptist taught his disciples, now, as His followers they come to Jesus and ask Him to teach them how to pray. It’s “daddy, show me how its done!” This is the privilege of family - both to be taught how to pray, and then, to pray – boldly!

It is the boldness of family, of a son, that marked Abraham’s prayer for Sodom and Gomorrah. It is the boldness of family that marks the prayers of Jesus and His beloved Bride—the Church. Look at His instructions: When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be Your name. 2 Your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread, 4 and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

What does Jesus, the Master Teacher and Rabbi from Nazareth teaches His disciples and us? The first to call God “Father.” He is not to be addressed here as mighty and majestic, all powerful, like super power Oz! When you pray say, “Father...” This indicates intimate connectedness to the One who created us and formed us and redeemed us by sending His only Son. We are not Muslims who dare NOT call God Father. But as His beloved children, we dare and delight in calling Him Father, because Jesus said, we should and could and so we do boldly pleading for His mercy and compassion to hear and heed our prayers.

Don’t forget my beloved people; prayer is the privilege of a child with His Father. The Father’s love enables boldness, the kind of boldness that will awaken the neighbor at midnight to ask for three loaves of bread. Addressing Him as our Father, we ask that His name be kept sacred among us - that we treat Him with respect, honor, and delight - to see Him as beloved Father and ourselves as beloved Children. This is the privilege of family. Each person is properly honored. Behold the Trinity: Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, three distinct persons, all doing their part to bless and redeem, to reconcile and renew, to make the lost and the dead into the children of adoption and life, the children of God.

With boldness we approach the Throne of Grace because the door has been opened by the True Son of the Father. We are bold to pray and plead because God has promised to hear us for the sake of the gracious blood of Christ to sinners - through the love of the Father, in the Comfort of the Spirit! In this kingdom we boldly ask for this gift of forgiveness and peace for ourselves, and then for Him to flow through us to others.

By the Spirit’s power we learn to listen to father Abraham, Asaph and Jesus as they visit with the Father of mercy to hear them. Abraham pleaded for Sodom and Gomorrah, Asaph prayed to the Lord to deliver Him from trouble, and Jesus, from the cross pleaded with the ALL compassionate Father to forgive those who nailed Him to the cross.

What privileges await us His beloved and chosen people in that we can lift our voices to Him and He will hear us for the sake of Christ alone. That is what is so special about these text for the 9^th Sunday After Pentecost—they teaches us to come to God, pour our hearts’ desires at His feet and wait patiently for His will to be carried out. PAUSE.

As I stated above, the Lord’s Prayer is the Privilege of Family. So ask and keep on asking, seek, and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking, for He hears and loves and answers and gives more abundantly than we even know how to ask. In fact, our Daddy God, our Abba Father, the object of this Prayer and its Subject as well, He has sent His Son, His only-begotten Son, to be tempted in our stead.

The Scriptures clearly teach and tell us how it was the Spirit who led Jesus away into the wilderness where the devil would attack Him. What we are unable to do, what Adam and Eve couldn’t do - resist the tempter’s powers of lies in persuasion, God the Son did, perfectly. Yes, our Catechism is correct: God tempts no one! That is because His heart is nothing but truth and not a lie. All temptations are lies. It is also because in Jesus He has answered every lie with the truth that death dies in Jesus.

Today, as we gather in the Lord’s house keep in mind what we come here for. We come to receive ALL of the blessings God offers us—forgiveness of sins, manna for the journey, peace in troubled times, joy in mourning times, love all the time.

Today, you heard Abraham plead for Sodom and Gomorrah, but more importantly you heard of the plea of the Savior for your soul and mine. Even now, Jesus pleads with the Father from the cross. Father, forgive them…. – Even today, He still intercedes for us and gives us mercy and grace that we don’t deserve.

What a privilege to be a family—a family that has been blessed by God through Jesus Christ. A family that can with confidence and conviction lift our prayers, petitions and pleas and know that God will hear and answer our prayers in accordance with His will for our lives for the sake of the Rabbi from Nazareth who taught us to pray: “Our Father…”

Thanks be to God that we can pray here and everywhere knowing that the Merciful Father hears and answers our prayers. Amen.

Now the peace…

“Walking With God” (Psalm 23:4)

S-1099 7/23/10 9SAP/3C Hymns: (O) #744; (S) #752; Solo “How Great…” (C) # SOD #18

Texts: Psalm 23; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; John 14:1-6

Theme: “Walking With God” (Psalm 23:4)

Celebration of New Life for Letha L. Kramer

Armour, SD SOLI DEO GLORIA

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia! The text for the celebration of the new life promised to our departed sister in the faith Letha is from the Good Shepherd Psalm: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You ARE with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

Introduction: In Nomine IESU

Family and friends, especially you Janet, Karen, Bruce and Barry we gather today in the house of the Lord to take comfort and consolation in His Word and His promise given to us who trust and believe in Him. His Words are hope and help in the hour of sorrow. His Words of promise are a sweet honey to the taste that otherwise would be bitter as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

Today, as you gather in the Lord’s house to say farewell to someone you love, there is a lump in your throat, a knot in your stomach, a tear in your eye and empty spot in your heart. No matter how you view death—death always interrupts, it always intrudes and it always interferes with our lives. Even when you know that death is drawing near as was the case with your loved one; you are never prepared when it arrives.

This happened to you this past Tuesday about 10:12 a.m. when the Lord in His mercy called our beloved sister in the faith home. She is gone to be with the One who claimed her in the waters of Baptism, but you are left to walk in the valley of the shadow of death. PAUSE.

Did you know that walking for exercise was not always in? Some of you walked because you had too. You walked to school, the barn, chicken coup, the grocery store, and the courthouse for that was the mode of transportation then. But in the last 20 years you began to notice people walking all over the country. Even here, in our little town of Armour, you see people walking and some even have their iPod tied to their arms and swinging back and forth to get exercise. Some people call a friend to walk with them.

And so today, you need to realize and know for certain that even though you are walking in the shadow of death, you are not walking alone. David, the author of the text stated, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You ARE with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” Indeed, the Word of the Lord is true. You are not walking alone, for the Lord of heaven and earth is with you wherever you go. As the hymn writer states, “He walks with me and He talks with me along life’s narrow way.” Jesus the Good Shepherd and the Friend of sinners walks with you through the valley of the Shadow of death. And this walk is not burdensome but a blessing. For it is only a shadow, not death itself. A Shadow can’t hurt you, frighten you or rob you of your peace.

Sometimes we are frightened because we see a shadow, but there is no need to fear a shadow, for it is not the real thing, but simply a shadow. And so we take comfort in the walk that Jesus leads and direct us on our journey of life. PAUSE.

Anyone who knew Letha knew she walked. As a young child she walked in the house of her parents Luther and Annis. Later on she walked down the isle of Trinity Lutheran Church at St. Peter, MN to confess her faith and receive the Sacrament. Later still she walked that same isle as she was joined to her husband Earl in holy matrimony. And she continued to walk. She and her husband faithfully and joyfully walked each of their children to the Lord’s house, baptized them and watched them grow in the faith. She walked ahead and behind her children. She walked to tidy the house, pick the toys up, buy groceries, prepare food, and do the laundry. After her husband past away she moved to Carter Wieses’ apartment. Often you saw her walking to the post office, grocery store and even to church to walk up these steps and kneel down to be fed and nurtured with the heavenly manna.

But as the sand through the hour glass began to empty, her legs were not as sturdy as they were once, but she continued to walk to church to receive God’s heavenly gifts. However, the time did come when she was no longer able to walk and had to be placed in the nursing home. There she had to use a wheel chair to get around. And when that happened and she couldn’t come to church, the church came to her and offered her the life-giving body and blood to sustain and strengthen her in the faith. I have visited her often and she was found faithful in confessing her sins and longed to get the sacrament. It never failed, with tears in her eyes she would say, “Thank you Pastor for coming to visit us and not forgetting us!” What a blessing it was for me to minister to this saint in Christ.

Walking can be a joy or a chore. If you are out walking for fun enjoying God’s wonderful creation it is not bad, if you are out walking to hunt it is not terrible, but if you are walking because your car broke down, it is pretty bad and you probably are angry and mad at God because the car broke down.

But walking is nothing new. Throughout all of Scripture we see people walking. We read of the Israelites walking to freedom from Egypt to the Promised Land. Jesus walked with His disciples to many villages preaching repentance and the Good News. He even walked to Calvary carrying His own cross as the ultimate payment for sins including Letha’s. On the night of Christ’s resurrection there were two disciples who walked with Him for 7 miles to the village of Emmaus without recognizing Him, but when they discovered who He was, they walked back and told everyone, that He has risen from the dead and that He is ALIVE!

Yet, the greatest example of walking with God is found in Genesis where we read: Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Gen. 5:24). Can you envision the scene of Enoch walking with God? I sure can. Here is Enoch walking and talking to God. Moses tells us that He walked with God and God took Him. This is another way to say that Enoch didn’t die but was transported directly from earth to heaven.

I like to share with you a picture to help you understand how this walking took place. It probably went something like this: Enoch and God were walking together one day and they just kept having so much fun and Enoch didn’t realize how far they had gone. When Enoch looked back he said to God, “Lord, I should go back I am getting far away from my home and I will soon be missed.” And God said, “Oh, Enoch, don’t worry about it, we are having such a great time, let’s keep on walking.” They walk some more and again Enoch says, “Lord, I should go back I am getting far away from my home and I will soon be missed.” And God said, “Enoch, don’t worry about it, we are having such a great time, let’s keep on walking.” They walk some more and talked some more and again Enoch says, “Lord, I should go back I am getting further and further away from my home and I will really be missed.” And God with a big smile on his face said: “Enoch, your home is so far away, but Mine is close, why don’t you come and stay with Me forever.” And so God took him.

That is precisely what the gracious Lord, the Good Shepherd and Friend of sinners Jesus did this past Tuesday. He looked at Letha with a smile and said, “Letha, you have walked on the earth for 94 years and no need to walk any further. My home is closer come and stay with me. And she did.”

Beloved in the Lord, you may miss her. You may weep her passing. But know for certain she is forever walking with the Lord. What a joy to know that God walked with Letha and she is walking with Him even now. What a privilege for us to look forward to the day when we will walk with our Savior forever. Amen.

Now the peace…

“A Miraculous Birth” (Genesis 18:10)

S-1198 7/18/10 8SAP/3A Hymns: (O) #8; S#15; (C)#50

Texts: O.T. Genesis 18:1-10, Colossians 1:21-29; Luke 10:38=42

Theme: “A Miraculous Birth” (Genesis 18:10)

Question: Have you experienced a miracle lately?

Armour, SD SOLI DEO GLORIA

Introduction: In Nomine IESU

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleuia. The text for our meditation is the Old Testament lesson: “The LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him” (Genesis 18:10)

People of God, CHOSEN and BELOVED, Nancy and Jim were high school sweethearts. (Names have been changed to protect the parties).They loved each other deeply and couldn’t wait for the day to be united in marriage before the throne of Grace as husband and wife. Shortly after high school Jim asked Nancy to marry him and with great delight she said “Absolutely!” They wanted a family—a big family. They decided to wait till after college to have children. After college they both got good jobs and asked God to bless them with children.

Time passed but no children came. Years went by and still no baby. Nancy was often found crying because she wanted to hold a baby in her arms and nurse him on her breast but no baby. Time passed, prayers sent heaven-ward; tears shed and still no baby. Thousands of dollars were spent as they visited one doctor after another, but each doctor they visited said, “I am sorry, you can’t conceive and have a child!” They were heartbroken, they wanted a family—a big family, but they just couldn’t have a child. They decided to adopt a child.

They began the adoption process, and the people at the agency told them it will take a long time for the adoption to go through and will be costly. They understood that and were willing to wait. As they were waiting for the day to receive word about the future baby, Nancy had gotten terribly sick and was rushed to the hospital. The doctors came to see her one after the other announced the good news—“Nancy, you are with Child!” Nancy and Jim hugged each other and said, “This is a miraculous baby considering we were not supposed to conceive.” Everyone that came to visit Nancy at the hospital said, “This is a miraculous baby.” The day did come when Nancy held their baby in her arms and breast fed him.

Today, as you listen to the Word of God, you see another miraculous birth takes place to aged Abraham and not as old Sarah. The hour glass had been emptied of the sand of child bearing. Abraham is now 100 years old, Sarah is 90. Sarah wished that God would have kept His promise that she would have a son.

I suppose, though Scripture doesn’t say that, I would venture to say, Sarah shed many tears. I am sure she sent heaven-ward plenty of prayers asking God for a child. But NO baby. And one day as father Abraham was sitting beneath the Oak of Mamre, he notices 3 visitors coming. It is ironic that Abraham doesn’t stay still waiting for them to arrive, but he runs towards them. And invite them to come to his tent.

There is uniqueness in these 3 visitors. If you paid attention to the reading at one time Abraham addresses them as three and at other time as one. Who are these visitors? Why are they here? What do they want? They are Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The pre-Incarnate Christ is present to announce the good news. A year from now your wife Sarah will hold in her arms and on her lap a son.

Any woman who is 90 and some of you are very close; some of you are there already and you are going to do what? YOU ARE GOING TO LAUGH, aren’t you? 90 years old! This message is too good to be true! The barren elderly womb of Sarah is going to open? After all the grains of sand had fallen from the hourglass of reproductive time? It would take a miracle for this to happen. That is why Sarah laughed. That is precisely what the visitor’s informed father Abraham. Please listen again how the Pre-Incarnate Christ announced the good news: “The LORD said, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him” (Genesis 18:10)

You know the story well don’t you? We are told that Sarah laughed. Now if someone came to me and told my wife who is 90 years old is going to have a baby, what do you think I am going to do? Tell me, honestly! I am going to laugh. And if someone came to you and said, you are going to have a child and you are going to say “What are you sniffing?” Correct? It is a miraculous baby.

What is his name? Yitzhak (Hebrew) Laughter. She laughs because at the old age of 90 that womb, which was barren and dead, is now coming alive with the birth of a son. And Sarah will nurse that child and hold him on her arms and fill her heart and tent with much joy and laughter; happiness will be given to old Abraham too. PAUSE.

You see this miraculous birth is so important because it would bring about another miracle. You remember that this miraculous child would be the father of another child. In my home town of Nazareth another miracle took place. An angel came to a virgin. You talk about laughter. You folks envision this. You know biology and how the body works. Will not go through the details or draw you a map. But you know exactly that if you have not been with a man, you will not conceive. And here is a young virgin, the angel announces to her saying, “Don’t be afraid! Guess what! You are going to have a baby!”

What do you expect to do (at the worship service a guest by the name of Candy did just that) she laughed. We would too, wouldn’t we? You don’t hear of those things happening. That is a miracle indeed. This miracle occurs because of the first miracle that took place in the life of father Abraham and mother Sarah as the Pre-Incarnate Christ speaks of His own birth to the aged couple—Princes of mothers and the Prince of fathers.

A miraculous birth to fulfill the promises of God that He would come to take away the burden of all of mankind’s sins away from them. Now I ask you, the question I asked at the beginning of the Divine Worship Service: “Have you witnessed a miracle lately?” Some of you would say, “Not sure!” Let’s begin with these thoughts: The pastor stands before you, you confess your sins and what does he do? He absolves you of your sins-a miracle at work not by his authority, but the authority of the One who placed him in that office. A miraculous child was born. You may not think that you witness a miracle every day. But you do.

Every single day you see the sun rising. It is a miracles thing. Isn’t? It doesn’t just happen. But God works it out. You and I are the miraculous child. “Pastor, what do you mean?” It isn’t the fact that your mom and dad conceived a child, but rather that we become the children of God. Simple water, a word spoken—the pastor says, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit” and a miracle takes place. Even though you don’t see anything on the outside, it is at work on the inside through the majestic waters of Baptism. You and I are the miraculous children of God to bring about the good news. And what good news we have? PAUSE.

How often… how often are we like father Abraham and mother Sarah who desire to help God carry out His plans? Isn’t true? Sometimes we think God doesn’t know what He is doing. Sometimes we place God on a shelf and make Him so big but no bigger; we make Him so tall, and no taller; we make Him so strong and no stronger and we limit what He can and can’t do. And when He doesn’t carry out what we ask, we elevate ourselves to be above Him and think that we can do it better.

You know the Scriptures well. Father Abraham received the promise that he was going to have a child. 25 years passed and no baby. Sarah wants a baby so bad that she can’t wait. And what does she do? She messes with God’s plan by telling her husband to go and sleep with Hagar and have a son with her. Now, men, if your wife came to you and gave you permission to sleep with another woman, what would you do? You ask, “Did you loose your marbles!” But father Abraham doesn’t do that. Abraham says, “I have a license to sleep with another woman. And from there on trouble is a constant companion in his tent.

You know the events that play out real well. The two sons of Abraham, Yitzhak and Ishmael and it has been a mess ever since. I claim my lineage to father Ishmael—the father of all the Arabs. And on the other hand Yitzhak is the father of all the Jews and ever since that day, they have been fighting and still are. Almost every day you hear on the news that the Palestinians are throwing rocks at the Jews and the Jews are shooting at the Arabs.

All of this because Father Abraham and mother Sarah messed up with God’s plans. When you do that, you mess up a lot more than if you trusted in His will for your life. PAUSE.

BUT here comes the Good News: God sent the One and only Son—the miraculous birth through the Virgin Marry to bring about reconciliation as the Apostle Paul stated in our Epistle lesson this morning (Colossians 1:21-29). Why is that important? Because on our own we can’t stand in the presence of our Holy God; on our own we can’t without the waters of Baptism be the children of God; on our own we would not seek the thing that is needful. As the Savior spoke about in the Gospel lesson (Luke 10:38-42). Mary sits at the feet of Jesus, she wants to observe, hear and learn more about Him and His love for humanity. Jesus praises her for her devotions and learning the value she spends with Him.

A miraculous birth? YOU BET!!! Every day we see these miracles. From Yitzhak, to Yeshua (Jesus in Hebrew), to you and me. But there is another miracle that you should know about. God for Christ’s sake loves you in spite of who you are. That God would come to earth, empty Himself from all of His glory, become human, live among us and goes to the cross to die for our sins. PAUSE.

When I was Houston I went to the most expensive Lutheran Church of the Missouri Synod (Zion Lutheran Church). Are you folks sitting down? Please put your seat belts on. The Church cost $15 Millions. It is the most beautifully decorated that I have ever seen. It is a replica of the Dresden church in Germany. As you enter it, there is a huge statue of Luther. But that is not as important as when you enter the Sanctuary. The ceiling is pretty high about 100 feet. Right above the pulpit suspended in mid air (half way up) is a cross with a statue of Jesus on it. What is ironic about that cross is the shape of the cross beam? Normally, we see (as in our church) the cross is straight like a T. But not this cross, this one hangs down on both sides. My friend and guide James Kreigel informed me the artist wanted to capture the weight of the sin of all humanity on the arms of Jesus that it bent the cross beam down (demonstrate).

What a miracle! Pause. What a miracle indeed! Two weeks ago I preached a sermon titled, “What a picture!” In my opening statement I said: “A picture is worth a thousand words.” That cross says more than a thousand words, it says: “I love you! I have picked you up! I have taken your sins away and I have given you a new birth—to be my son and daughter.” You talk about a miracle. You are that miracle. Not only is Yitzhak is the miraculous child, not only is Yeshua is the miraculous child born through Mary; but you and I are the miraculous child born through the waters of Baptism, fed at the table of the Lord, forgiven at the cross of Calvary, through the shed blood of the Lamb of God.

What a miraculous birth that took place in our hearts. This is after all, the Good News. We read of it in the Gradual which stated: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news, who publish peace and bring goods news of salvation” (Isaiah 52:7). You are that miraculous child, born into the family of God.

By the Spirit’s power I exhort you to go out into the world and share the good news of what Jesus has done for you—making you part of His family of faith. That is all I have for you today, God’s good news. May it be a blessing as you rejoice and give thanks to what God has done in your life as well as mine. Amen and Amen.

Now the peace…

SDG.