S-1259 TS/3A 06/19/11, (O) #239; (S) #377 vs. 1-4; 10; (C) #244
Text: Genesis 1:1-2:4; Acts 2:14, 22-36; Matthew 28:16-20
Theme: “YOU GOT THE POWER!” (Matthew 28:18-20)
Question: “How strong are you?”
SOLI DEO GLORIA, Armour, SD
Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! The text for Trinity Sunday is the Gospel lesson: “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I Am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20).
In Nomini Iesu,
Saints in Christ, this spring and the last three weeks we have witnessed the mighty power of wind and water. In Joplin, MO., we witnessed the 220 miles p/h power tornado and the destructve damage it caused. In our own, and neighboring states we have witnessed what water power can do to a town or neighborhood. Levees are being built as fast as they can to stop the Mighty Mo from punching a whole through the man-made barricades. If you have stopped by the Oahe’s, Fort Randall’s and Gavin’s Point Damns, you would have heard the roar and witnessed the power of the water. The roar is deafening and the sight is unbelievable. Every second 150.000 CFS of water goes over. That is over 1,500.000 gallons per second. That is a lot of power and a lot of water.
If you stop at Krull’s Market you will notice they have these items in their store: Power Bars, Power Aid; Power Cleaner; and a 5 hours Energy Drink. All of these items are suppose to give you power to keep going and going. Stop at Menards or other hardware stores and you will see an assortment of power tools that help you get the job done quicker and easier.
This morning’s text speaks of the true power of the church. The church has a high calling and the calling of the church is so great that it is humanly impossible for us to fulfill on our own. Nevertheless with the Grace given by Christ Himself, we can be the church He has called us to be, a church that the very Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it; and a church that goes about making disciples baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; and teaching them to observe everything that He has commanded us. Our text tells us that we have the power to do the work that we as a body of Christ have been called to do.
On this Trinity Sunday as we consider the mystery of the Trinity we hear the Words of the Savior saying: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you”. With these Words, Jesus tells His disciples of old and new disciples that you have the power. You have the power— power to change lives, to change hearts; and to change the world.
This power is given to all who follow Jesus’ teaching and obey His commands. This power is in your life to help you come to the knowledge of who the Father is who the Son is and who the Holy Spirit is. This power helps you to believe and confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God; that He is the Messiah, the Savior, your Redeemer, and the One who died on the cross for your sins. This power will be used by you and your brothers and sisters in the family of faith for the expansion of the Kingdom of God and the glory He deserves.
Now to have the power means that you have the authority, to have power means that you have the control of; to say you have the power means that you have influence over, the ability to, or the strength to do the work of the church, not because you are strong or gifted but because God gave you this power that dwells and abides in you. PAUSE.
In our Old Testament reading we heard of the Mighty power of God in creating the Universe and everything that is in it. We heard of the One who hovers over us and dwells within us with His power. We see this power in our lives as the passionate God blesses us as His beloved children.
But in order for us to have this power, we need to be with Him and in His Word. It is His Word that gives us the symphony and orchestra that reveals this power. The Word of the Lord is powerful indeed. The author to the Hebrews said it this way: “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the Word of His power” (Heb. 1:3). And St. Paul in his letter to the Romans wrote: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek”. Yes, beloved in Christ there is power in the Word. The Word that has been given to you and me to instruct, enlighten and to share with young and old.
However, we will not have the power if we change the Word of God or do not adhere to it as the case was in Omaha, NE this past Wednesday. “Clergy Proclamation: Being Gay Not A Sin” According to news reports: The ministers will join together on Wednesday (6-15-11) at 6 p.m. at the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge to publicly unveil the proclamation and show full acceptance of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people. “We believe homosexuality is not a sin. It’s not a birth defect or a choice. God created people this way. And if God created them this way, they need to be honored for who they are, and fully included in church life and wider society,”
How sick and twisted these clergy are. Rather than arming these people with the power to change lives, they are hurting them and sending them to hell because of their false teaching.
We, as a church must confess the truth of Christ’s teaching. All of it; not just what appears acceptable to our society. You and I ought to speak the truth in love. When your daughter or son lives with someone outside of marriage don’t just say everyone is doing it. Call it for what it is SIN. Hold on to the truth of the Word in your life. There nothing more powerful than Christ’s teaching. His command to us is to make disciples by baptizing and teaching all people.
We can’t move away from the Word. We can’t change Christ’s teaching. We can’t be disconnected from Him or His gifts. Just like an electrical power strip is used to protect our electrical appliances. God’s powerful Word/His teachings can and will protect us from damaging our lives. This is the way Jesus gives us power to go on proclaiming the truth in love and changing one heart at a time.
I am reminded of how valuable it is for us to be in His presence and in His Word daily. One New Year’s Day, in the Tournament of Roses parade, a beautiful float suddenly sputtered and quit. It was out of gas. The whole parade was held up until someone could get a can of gas. The amusing thing was this float represented the Standard Oil Company. With its vast oil resources, its truck was out of gas.
Often, Christians neglect their spiritual maintenance, and though they are “clothed with power” (Luke 24:49) find themselves out of gas. How might we run out of gas? Is it a leak in the fuel line? Do we sit in, idle too much and just burn it off? We do it when we stay away from the Lord, and His Word, when we are not feeding on the heavenly manna.
We dare not be like those people and run out of gas. We come often to the Lord’s house because here Jesus meets us. Here Jesus feeds us. Here Jesus forgives us and here Jesus sends out with His power.
Do you want have the power, then look to Jesus and His Word? Do you want to see power, then look to the cross. Do you want to see the victory of Christ’s power, then look at the empty tomb. Is there any greater power than our Triune God’s? No, there is none! Look at nature that is His workshop. Look at the sky that is His resume. Look at the universe that is His calling card. You want to know who this Triune God is. See what He has done by sending His Son to be the Savior. You want to know the power of God? Take a look at His mighty creation—and while doing that realize He has made you, bought you and forgave you, your sins. Curious about His strength? Then visit Him at His home address: 1 Billion Starry Sky Avenue.
You as His 21st century disciples have the power to have victory over every circumstance in your life, because Jesus gave it to you. God’s grace, love, peace and joy is revealed through His proper teachings. For you got the power. Through Jesus, who was born of a virgin, Jesus who was crucified dead and buried but rose early the third day with all power of heaven and earth in His hands. You my brothers and sisters in Christ GOT THE POWER. AMEN.
Now the peace of God...
SOLI DEO GLORIA
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