THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FREEDOM

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FREEDOM

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen. Dear Lord, Jesus Christ as a grateful Nation, many will be gathering today to show honor to our fallen and living heroes—the American soldiers. We pray, that You Father of all Compassion, Mercy and Grace, would sustain them to a peace and a hope that their service to our country is not in vain. That we, as a nation; are here to support them with our prayers, our devotion and love and to show them that our hearts will be forever grateful for their service and sacrifice. We ask You dear Jesus to continue to pour out Your favor upon this nation that all people might come to worship You as the ONLY TRUE Savior of the world and open the Kingdom of heaven to all believers. In Your name we pray, sweet Jesus. Amen.

On this day we call Memorial Day it is fitting that we remember. It is very important that we remember that our freedom isn’t free. Freedom is purchased. Its currency is not monetary. No the purchase of freedom is made with sacrifice. The sacrifice is made by ordinary men and women who are put in extraordinary situations and called upon to do extraordinary things.

That sacrifice was made by men and women from across this nation. They came from the busy streets of our biggest cities, sleepy towns; villages and farm fields not unlike our town of Armour. They weren’t superheroes. They were young men and women who answered the call to service that comes as a responsibility of freedom. As we look around today, many of those who made the sacrifice of years in their lives are all around us. Still others are bearing in their bodies, mind and souls the scars of that sacrifice. But more to the point of this day, there were those who made the ultimate sacrifice. They are the ones who are buried in places like Flanders Field, Arlington National Cemetery, right here at Pleasant Ridge and other places around the world. They faced up to the responsibilities of freedom by giving up all they had.

On this Memorial Day it is critical and important for us who stand here remembering the sacrifice of others that the same responsibility of freedom falls to us. Each one of us owes a debt to the Lord and to those who died to embrace every responsibility that freedom brings with it. There may come a time when we will be called to put ourselves on the line. God forbid that the circumstances of our world force us or our sons and daughters to take up arms to bear the responsibility of freedom! While this is a pious wish, we know that this responsibility bearing does indeed fall to all of us. We know this because at this moment there are Marines and Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen doing that very thing to keep FREEDOM alive and well.

But how is it that you and I are called to bear the responsibility of freedom. The first part of this is what we are doing today. We are remembering those who have given all and keeping their memories alive. When we hold before us the images of sacrifice and take into our minds and hearts the costs of that freedom, we are bearing the responsibility for it. In this, we don’t take our freedoms lightly. When we look at the flags that adorn the graves of the fallen heroes and remember that expense, we bear the responsibility.

But there is one other way that we are able to bear the responsibility of freedom. It is to practice the freedoms that we have been given by the Lord God Almighty and have been defended by those who have made the ultimate sacrifice! This can be as simple as being gathered by the Holy Spirit to receive God’s gifts in His house weekly. It is taking part in the process of governing by making sure that we are informed before and being active at the polls. Even if we do not agree politically, it is critical that each and every citizen bears the responsibility of freedom by going to the polls and casting a ballot that is in keeping with our God-given conscience. To do less is to shirk our responsibility of freedom. This responsibility may even lead some of us to step forward to serve as well.

This is not an exhaustive list. But it does give us the idea that there are responsibilities that WE bear when it comes to our freedoms. The Lord has been too gracious to us in giving us these freedoms for us not to be responsible. Those who have defended these freedoms have paid too high a cost for us to bear these responsibilities lightly.

Dear gathered friends, remember that law and order came to each community at the expense of responsible men who fought and sacrificed their lives for justice. But in a far greater way, freedom came to us by the responsible men and women of the armed forces who stood vigil in the trenches and canals to keep freedom’s light burning brightly for us to enjoy. PAUSE.

What is our responsibility as a nation towards those who have borne these responsibilities? What we will be is very much the same. How we, each one of us, bears these responsibilities will affect the generations to come. We have far too much to lose. The responsibility is great. But so is the grace of God that will lead us to be able to fulfill these responsibilities.

As a grateful nation, our responsibility is to honor the memories of those who sacrificed their blood, limbs and even lives and to never forget them. Our responsibilities are to stand up proudly when we see the military holding high the flag that bears the stars and stripes. Our responsibilities are to support these veterans in every human way possible—physical, mental and spiritual and to assist their families and care for their needs. Our responsibilities are to dig deep into our pocket books and come to the rescue of the wounded soldiers so that they may live in the freedom which they fought to provide for us.

As a grateful nation, our privilege and responsibility as citizens of these United States of America is to fold our hands, bow our heads, close our eyes and lift up our prayers heaven ward to the God of all grace who moved the brazen, bold, and brave men and women to defend us at every cost. Our responsibilities are to let these brave men and women to be first in line and for us to move back. Our responsibilities are to thank them and their families for services rendered.

Please, please dear friends, don’t forget your responsibility as a child of the King of kings and Lord of lords, but also as a citizen of this great nation—we call the United States of America. Stand up to defend her. Stand up and sing her praises. Stand up and honor her with your service and your prayers. Stand up and let freedom reign, so that others may come to our shores and live in harmony and peace within these shores.

Remember this and remember it well dear friends, Memorial Day weekend is a time to remember the sacrifices made to preserve our freedom. But don’t make it only one day. Don’t let Memorial Day be a day spent camping, boating, golfing or picnicking. Let every day be a Memorial Day because this freedom allows us to live free to worship, speak and move around. And on a far grander scale, every Sunday the heavenly Father gives us the great honor to learn more about the Freedom His Son, our Savior, has earned for us by dying on the cross to free us from sin.

What a joy the heavenly Father gives us to be His responsible citizens—to live in the freedom of the cross and the empty tomb as proud Americans. What an honor these responsible men and women who wore the uniform of the US military have provided in caring for this nation and leaving it a better place for the generation to come.

As a grateful nation, we pray that God would grant us this privilege to be as responsible as we can so that many more may know of this FREEDOM and keep the torch of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness available to all. God bless now and always.

Please join me in a word of prayer

Heavenly Father, as a grateful nation, today we gather in this place as responsible citizens to remember those who have served our country with honor, bravery, dedication and devotion, especially those who have given their lives. We praise You for all the blessings that we enjoy as a result of their sacrifice, including peace, liberty, security, and the freedom we have to move about without any confinement and above all to enter Your house of worship to receive Your abundant blessings. We implore you to keep our young, proud, bold and brave men and women who are serving today safe and bring them home to their loved ones soon. We also, ask You to use us as Your responsible and valued instruments of peace and love as we serve You and others. In Jesus' most holy name we pray. Amen.

“Pentecost Fervor” (Acts 2:1-4)

S-1319 Pentecost S/3B 5/27/12 Hymns: (O) #234; (S) #224; LS. #227, 226, 231; (C) # 49

Text: Ezekiel 37:1-14; Acts 2:1-21; John 15:26-27, 16:4-15

Theme: “Pentecost Fervor” (Acts 2:1-4)

Question: “Are You Passionate about Something?” Armour, SD.

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! The text for Pentecost Sunday is from the book of Acts: “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).

You who are loved by the Father of all grace and His Son, Jesus Christ and the comforting Holy Spirit, there are many people in this world who are fervently passionate about what they do. In the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky there are Christians who practice handling poisonous snakes because in the book of Mark 16:17-18 it mentions that they can do so. They believe this is a must and fervently carry it out even to the point of losing their lives. In Venezuela they practice the religion of Santeria. This Afro-Caribbean religion causes the people to go into a trance and do all sorts of harm to their bodies to drive out evil spirits. Though they claim to be Christians, this is practiced fervently to get rid of sin and the evil spirits. And in China’s Province some people mutilate their bodies with all sorts of painful instruments to show supreme devotion and to appease their gods. All these people are fervently attempting to do something to prove their worth in the sight of their gods. Devotion is measured by physical suffering and self inflicted pain—walking on 3000 degrees of hot coal, climbing a ladder 200 steps of sharp blades and piercing themselves with swords, knives and even nails; just to prove their worth in the sight of their god’s.

However, today, we are not here to pick up poisonous snakes, walk on hot coals, mutilate our bodies or drive out demons to prove our worth to our God. Our worth is found in the cross of Christ and the empty tomb. We are here though, to observe the Pentecost Fervor that fell upon the disciples as they proclaimed to the world the might deeds of God.

Today, we witness the mighty working of God the Holy Spirit in the lives of the disciples as promised by the Savior. Jesus had told them, “That He would send the Counselor, the Helper, the Paraclete who will teach them all things He has done and will guide them in sharing His salvation with all people.” We observe how the Holy Spirit descended upon them with tongues of fire and gave them the fervent desire to speak in multi-languages so that others might come to worship the only True Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Peter, the great spokesperson of the Disciples stood up and with fervent zeal explained to the assembly what they had witnessed. That the disciples are not drunk but filled with the Spirit of Truth and through that Spirit were able to communicate in the languages of the people the joy of the resurrection and ascension of the Savior, Jesus.

Likewise, we too, with Pentecost Fervor do what the Savior has asked us to do—go in His name and by His power to our neighbors, friends and yes, even family and share with them the hope of the resurrection that He won for us, by restoring us from the grave, just like the O.T. lesson told us of the dead bones that came alive.

Though we know this truth, yet we don’t always carry it out. It is sometimes burdensome to have the Pentecost fervor. We become afraid to share thinking very little of ourselves; and what others might they think of us. We feel we are carrying a burden too heavy for us and can’t do it on our own.

But dear, dear beloved ones, as a Child of God, He knows what we can bear and what we cannot bear, and when we can bear it. In John 16:12-13 Jesus says: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come”. We are reminded of the promise that being His friends we know all that He has just said earlier in 15:15, in this same revelatory moment, “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.”

Certainly, they were not able to bear the things of God before the Cross. Ah, but afterward, and after they waited in Jerusalem for the Promised Holy Spirit, they received the power to transform the world one soul at a time. God incarnate, God in their flesh. Yes, God in your flesh.

Today’s sermon and the grand sermon of Peter in Acts 2, speaks to the dwelling of the Holy Spirit of God in, with, and under His Children. The simple message that you live, in your forgiveness, is that Your God is greater than your sin. Your God is stronger in His love than all the emptiness and pain of the sinner’s isolation. Indeed, He takes dry bones - useless bones - and in this Word of encouragement, this Word that now they can bear - He speaks life into His exceedingly great army.

Yes, as the Holy Spirit spoke to Ezekiel, so He speaks today to and through you: “Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O My people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I Am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O My people” (Ezek. 37:12-13).

The veil is removed and we are given life, made to be His people—His very own blood-bought people. We who stand accused even as the Jewish rulers. We are no longer accused but welcomed into the family. We have a Father who is “Our Father.” We have His Holy Son as our Payment for all sin. We have His Spirit as our Advocate. The Advocate, the One who pleads the case for us as a lawyer would in a court of Law, but oh so much more, for we are no client, we are “O My People!”

Today, and every day as we gather in the Lord’s house we come to see the Pentecost Fervor working out in our lives. Here in this place we pray that He would give us tongues of fire so that with fervent faith may proclaim the mighty deeds of God. As we gather around His Word, to be fed at His table, receive His absolution we know the certainty of being His own dearly loved children and called “O My People!” And as the people of God we work with fervent urgency to get the message out to all people so that they too may be His people for now and forever.

Pentecost is all about those who are “O My People.” What we didn’t and couldn’t understand now has hold of us, hold of us with comfort, like a loving embrace. In this place we, too, become filled and fed and forgiven. Now we who are “O My People” have seen and heard the Risen Savior. We have seen Him ascend on high, above us, to comfort and keep us. You see, we are no longer, unable to bear the news any long. It is not just a headline like those scrolling lines at the bottom of the TV newscast, something to be read or ignored. This is more than mere information, it is that LIFE has come and now He has filled your heart with PEACE. He has empowered you with LOVE and covered you with JOY. Yes, His PATIENCE, GOODNESS, KINDNESS, GENTLENESS, and SELF-CONTROL all work in you “O My People” For you bear it now - the fruit of the Spirit. In that you rejoice not only for today as we observe and celebrate Pentecost; but through an endless eternity.

After all, our whole life is a life of Pentecost fervor. Amen

Now the peace…

SOLI DEO GLORIA

“Devoting Ourselves” (Acts 1:14)

S-1318 7SAE/3B 5/20/12 Hymns: (O) #333; (S) #332; (C) #338

Text: Acts 1:12-26; 1 John 5:9-15; John 17:11-19

Theme: “Devoting Ourselves” (Acts 1:14)

Question: “What are you devoted about?” Armour, SD.

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! The text is from Acts: “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers” (Acts 1:14).

Saints in Christ, the evangelist Luke by the power of the Holy Spirit, tells us in this portion of the Word of God, one of the strangest stories in the Bible. In a collection of gospels and letters where little girls and grown men are raised from the dead, where lepers are made suddenly clean, where blind people are able to see, where a stormy sea is made still with the utterance of a few words, where demons are driven out of people and into herds of wild pigs… we are told the story of Jesus riding on the cloud. On the fortieth day after the resurrection, Luke tells us, Jesus and His disciples are standing on the side of a mountain together, and He makes them this promise: “… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

Having witnessed first the Resurrection of Christ from the grave and now His ascension to the right hand of the Father, they return back to Jerusalem and with one accord they devote themselves to prayers and the ministry which Christ has entrusted to them in making disciples of all nations.

The word “devote” in the Greek has this meaning: “I attach myself to, devote myself to, continue in, am ready.” What this means is there is an intentional activity going on. You are setting yourself to be focused, fastened and fixed on the goal that is before you.

“Devotion” is a good word. When you hear the word devoted, we usually think of something good—a devoted mother who is willing to sacrifice for her children, who puts the needs of the children and her family ahead of her own needs; someone who knows how to endure, and in love do practical things that helps her family. We think of a devoted father and we think not only of someone who is reliable and tries to provide for his family, but we also think of someone who is willing to take a day off a little early to try to make it to a soccer game or attend a piano recital. Devotion is a good word. And it is not just a good word for parents. If I am sick and need a doctor, I want a devoted doctor, particularly if it is surgery, I want it to be a devoted surgeon, not somebody devoted to their boat or their investments, but someone who is devoted to their craft, someone who tries to keep up with the latest developments, who really wants to do the best possible for their patients. Devotion is a good thing.

This is precisely what the disciples did. In this passage in the Book of Acts, we see the early church, and it talks about them being devoted to certain things. They devoted themselves to prayers and in one accord they have before them the goal to get the message of Christ to the ends of the world. In the next chapter we see them again devoting themselves to worship and breaking bread together. They were dedicated, determined and devoted for that which is God-pleasing.

On this day of Confirmation, it is a good thing for us as a body of believers to be devoted in our walk of faith. It is of the utmost importance for us as God’s beloved children, to be focused on God in our lives. Because God is not just an add-on to life, but God is the central focus of who we are and whose we are. This is our privilege and honor to be devoted to the cause of why we exist as a church and the way we are blessed share the good news with all people.

Being devoted is a good thing because it keeps us focused on what is our role in the family of God. Being devoted causes us to do the godly thing in sharing with one and all that we need the grace of God in our lives to be His faithful and obedient servants.

Ryan today is a very special day for you and your family. For the last two years you have studied, took quizzes and tests, and attended confirmation classes so that you might be thoroughly equipped in defending the faith, and confessing the faith. You have devoted yourself to the study of the Word even though at times you didn’t like doing the work, yet you did.

I encourage you therefore; to continue to be devoted to what the Holy Spirit has given you through His Word. Continue to be devoted to come to the Lord’s house. Continue to be devoted to be in the Word. Continue to dine at His table. Continue to live your life as a child of the heavenly Father. PAUSE.

I share with you a modern story of someone who was devoted of living his life as a Christian. In his book, “In My Seat” Steve Scheibener tells the distinct privilege to live for Christ. Steve Scheibener an American Airline pilot was scheduled to fly flight 11 from Boston to LA on 9-11 but at the last moment he was bumped by a another pilot Tom McGuinnes. 20 years earlier, Steve had written his life’s objective which is: “To seek, trust and glorify God through humble service and continual prayer. To raise up qualified disciples as quickly as possible, so that one day I might hear God say: “Well done thou Good and faithful servant.”

Steve goes on to say that two people have died in my place. Literally he took my seat. Tom took my seat in flight 11 and Jesus took my place on the cross; Tom and Jesus. Tom can’t take away my sins, but Someday I want to stand in the presence of God and hear Him say, “Well done thou Good and faithful servant.” That is what is on my plate. That is what is driving me these days. Why does God take one and leave another. It is not because I am a better person, or God wanted to do more with me, than He wants to do with Tom. I think in God’s providence that is obviously His choice.

What has stuck with me all these year is the fact He did leave me behind. I need to act that I am living on borrowed time; because I am. I can look and see my smoking hole on national TV. I saw where I should have died but I didn’t. Now there is an obligation that comes with that. I need to live my days with the sense of urgency. Trying to make sure I can get the most out of them. Not the most for me. We live in a world where everybody is trying to get the most for them. It is not about me. This is about the distinct privilege I have been given to know that somebody died in my place. What I know is that somebody died in my place not once, but twice. That is where God comes in for me. Tom sat in my place and by all rights; I should have sat in that seat that day. But I didn’t. But Tom literally sat in my seat. Tom didn’t die for my sins.

God sent His own Son to die for my sins. Jesus Christ is the other one who died in my place. He hung, and He bled, and He suffered on the cross to pay a price for me, that I wasn’t qualified to pay. I couldn’t have hung on the cross. I didn’t have the same qualifications. So one guy sat on the seat that I should have sat in, and the other hung and bled on the cross. One is far more significant than the other. This is not to trivialize what happened to Tom, but to elevate and glorify what God did for me and mankind on the cross. PAUSE.

What an honor that the Lord of the Church bestows upon us to be His servants, being devoted in sharing the greatest story ever told. This is the privilege you and I as forgiven children of the heavenly Father get to do—proclaim to the world that Christ is our SOLE Savior from sin death and the devil. This is an awesome blessing the Lord of the Church calls us to be His devoted servants. Consider the honor, the privilege and glorious opportunity the Holy Spirit grants us to share a story like none other to make more disciples to be His followers.

On this Confirmation Day remember, I want to share with you the wisdom from a retired Pastor. He said: Confirmation Sunday was the saddest day of the year for him as a pastor. He explained that the sadness came from the fact that within a couple of years so many of the faces that sat before him in their robes and flowers would so soon forget the practice of the faith. It grieved the shepherd that so many of his young sheep would chase off for the greener pastures of High School and college. Some would return when they married and had kids, but many would never return.

I will tell you from personal experience. I have witnessed this first hand. In the last 18 years many young people stood here and made the same public confession, but sadly they soon forgot their devotion to God and His Word.

Therefore, Ryan on this Confirmation Day, I challenge to remain devoted. Be faithful in attending the Lord’s house often and kneel at His table to receive His grace in Word and Sacrament for the building up of your faith and growth.

I remind you that the thing that keeps us devoted to the cause is none-other-than Jesus Christ Himself. He was devoted to saving us. He was devoted to come to earth to fulfill the will of the Father in our place. He was devoted to teaching the truth. He was devoted to call sinners to repentance. He was devoted to suffer in our place. He was devoted to take His cross and dying for us. He was devoted to rise from the grave and assured our own resurrection. He was devoted to bless us so that we may be with Him in heaven.

Oh, the blessings of knowing the disciples devoted themselves to prayer. Oh, the blessings we have in being devoted to God and His message. But oh, the joy of knowing our loving and faithful Savior, was, is and will be devoted to us always. Amen.

Now the peace… SOLI DEO GLORIA

“No Partiality” (Acts 10:34-35)

S-1317 6SAE/3B 5/13/12 Hymns: (O) #202; (S) #387 vv 1-5; LS. #387 vv 6-10; #349; 313; (C) # 53

Text: Acts 10:34-48; 1 John 5:1-8; John 15:9-17

Theme: “No Partiality” (Acts 10:34-35)

Question: “Do you show favoritism?” Armour, SD.

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! The text is from Acts: “So Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,’ but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him” (Acts 10:34-35).

Most beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who rose from the grave, know this truth and hold it dear to your hearts. God’s Word is solid, strong and sincere. God’s Word is clear, concise and constructive. God’s Word is positive, precise and powerful. God’s Word is tried, tested and true. God’s Word teaches us that He shows no partiality when it comes to saving sinners the world over.

In today’s text, the Holy Spirit uses the Apostle Peter to teach us again this blessed truth that God indeed shows no partiality. This is in response to the loving and gracious working of the Savior, Jesus, who revealed to Peter, with the story of the Gentile Cornelius that His Gospel is intended for both Jews and Gentiles (“every nation” v.35). Peter needed to know this truth and so do we!

Peter confesses that “of a truth,” literally, “on the basis of reality,” he is comprehending, grasping more and more that God is not a re­specter of persons, partial to the Jew merely because he is a Jew, unfair to the Gentile just because he is a Gentile. The Greek word used here refers to a judge who looks at a man’s face and renders a verdict, not with the facts of the case, but according as he likes or dislikes the person.

In reality though, God does the contrary (ἀλλἀ): BUT “in every nation” He accepts only those who fear Him and work righteousness. Jew and Gentile who fail to do so He rejects. God is a just Judge. This is the fear of which both Testaments speak constantly, the mark of godly men, the fear of reverence, faith, and obedience. This is the true God who reveals Himself in the Scrip­tures and not a God as some imagine Him according to their imagination.

It is imperative that we, too, glean this fact, that the Gospel is not only for us who think highly of ourselves. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for all people everywhere from every tribe, language, people and nation. In another place, the Savior told the disciples just before He ascended into heaven 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” (Mt. 28:19-20a), Here again, the Savior declares that He shows no partiality to saving everyone from the punishment of hell and the power of death and Satan.

Truly, our God is a God who shows no partiality. Unlike us, we do, and often. Some of us are jealous of our neighbors. Others do not trust black people and still others don’t respect the Native Americans. Some of us discriminate against obese people, unemployed people, homeless, drunks, drug addicts; or people who are different than us. We become the judge and jury and show partiality and favoritism. PAUSE.

I share with you an incident that happened to one of my colleagues in Rapid City. The pastor writes: “I was walking down by Rapid Creek with my boys (Rapid City is full of bike/walking trails). I heard a moan under a tree and under that tree was a drunken, stinky, wretched looking homeless man. I grabbed my kids, hurried them along, and I can distinctively remember looking behind me as I was walking away, thinking to myself, ‘Why doesn’t somebody do something about folks like this?’

I did not see in that person my own weakness, my own sin, my own wretchedness. I was not witnessing to the God who shows no partiality because I didn’t see in that man’s brokenness my own brokenness. Thanks be to God that in Christ God shows no partiality, because if He did, there’s a good chance that He could have excluded me just like I had excluded that homeless man in my own heart.”

Isn’t that typical of us also? Many times we act and behave just like my colleague did in Rapid City. Whenever we disagree with somebody we do it with an air of superiority and not in sincerity, love, and truth. We show partiality to our own pride, experience, identity, and background. We actually think that these things make us better than the other person. Such a response is a terrible witness to the God of love who shows no partiality.

The proper witness is one that sees in the other and their position and weakness, your own weakness and then glorifies God all the more that you’re both forgiven and redeemed. This is a most humble and joyful privilege that we the redeemed and forgiven children of the heavenly Father, give a clear and concise witness to the God of love who shows no partiality.

Remember what my colleague asked? ‘Why doesn’t somebody do something about folks like this?’ Well someone did—Christ our Savior. Because Christ showed no partiality to me by going to the cross in my place, suffering my hell and dying in my place, and redeemed me the drunken, stinky, wretched looking homeless man/woman that I am. Thus we ask the Holy Spirit to help us show the world the God of love who shows no partiality—the God who doesn’t hold His forgiveness from us or His love towards us but extends His grace and mercy to us in spite of us. When we do, we share with all people about the true, honest and sincere JUDGE who doesn’t look at us as worthless, but valuable, treasured, precious and most beloved in His sight. PAUSE.

Beloved in the Lord, many times we show favoritism, we discriminate and we look down on people. We often act better and superior to others because we think, we are better Christians. Consider this please. Manasseh was the son of good king Hezekiah. But what a contrast he was to his father! He was involved in idolatry, blasphemy, murder, witchcraft, even burning his own children alive as offerings to false gods. Surely if ever a man were a hopeless case, it was Manasseh. And yet, we are told that in the end, he repented and God forgave and restored him. We might say, “That man’s sin is too horrible. Do not forgive him, Lord!” Who wants Manasseh as a neighbor in heaven? How foolish we are, when we sit in the judgment seat. How confused we are, just like Peter thought that salvation was only for the Jews.

Yet, when we see our own evil as God must see it, it is easy to think God should not forgive us either. But God chooses differently. God offers forgiveness freely even to the worst of sinners—yes, even to us. No matter how horrible the sin, God isn’t impartial to remove the sin from us. Jesus takes it away, nailing it to His cross, where He paid the whole price for our redemption.

What we need to know and which Pastor Pete revealed to us today is this: Though, we’re partial to others, yet our loving Savior, Jesus Christ took all those things to the grave so that we could be raised in impartiality and the freedom of that impartiality. It’s only in God’s forgiveness, spoken and received, in Word and Sacraments that we can truly witness to the God who shows impartiality.

Outside of the cross of Jesus Christ and its killing and making alive, we turn God’s impartiality into our partiality. We do this so that we can avoid admitting the uncomfortable truth that there’s no difference between us and our worst enemy in the eyes of God—we all need forgiveness. We all need His mercy. We all need His grace. And we all need His constant and ever flowing love to be faithful in living our lives for Him and the benefit of our neighbor.

Oh, the joy of knowing that we are forgiven in Christ. Oh, the blessing in knowing that God loves us enough to die in our place. Indeed, God be praised that He’s given us forgiveness in Christ and given us the charge to share it with those around us.

Today, by the Spirit’s power, we have been instructed on the God who shows no partiality. Therefore, we leave here comforted and assured that He will use us to share this good news with all people—people from every tribe, language, people and nation to the glory of His holy name. Amen.

Now the peace…

SOLI DEO GLORIA

“Rise and Go!” (Acts 8:26-31)

S-1316 4SAE/3B 5/06/12 Hymns: (O) #193; (S) #498; 496; (C) #658

Text: Acts 8:26-40; 1 John 4:1-11; John 15:1-8

Theme: “Rise and Go!” (Acts 8:26-31)

Question: “Have you taken a missionary journey for the Lord?

Immanuel Jamison and Grace Lutheran is in Burton (Preaching in Burton

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! The text for this Mission Sunday is from Acts: “Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over and join this chariot.’ So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’And he said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.” (Acts 8:26-31).

Saints in Christ and fellow servants of the Most High God, Dr. Luke in this account describe a most moving picture of the evangelist Philip and what the Lord has asked him to do. It is so very important that we grasp how the Lord of the church operates. He employs the service of angels for brining the first Gentiles into His kingdom. Here the Ethiopian eunuch, and in chapter 10 of the same book Cornelius the centurion of the Italian regiment.

We don’t know much about the angel. But what we do have is the command He gives to Philip “Rise and Go!” It is also noteworthy to see it in the Greek language to help us grasp the urgency of the commission given to Philip. “Rise” is in the aorist verb form meaning definite past action with the word “Go” in the durative form meaning continue to go because the road is long. Rather than head north the angel asks him to head south towards Gaza about 50-60 miles for an extended period. This is similar to the great command the Lord gave His disciples before He went to heaven asking them to seek the lost and to make disciples of all nations.

And Phillip…does. He heads down the road towards Gaza. Just ahead of him a eunuch is in his chariot reading the scroll of Isaiah. He is reading it out loud which (was the custom of the day), and the Spirit again asks Philip. “Go over and join this chariot,” another way to say it, “Keep company with Him!” and he does. We see how the Holy Spirit used this evangelist to explain the story of salvation from Isaiah since that is all they had. He showed them Jesus in the O.T.

The eunuch must have had great wealth to own his own scroll. But He was richer spiritually because he would make a point of going to Jerusalem to worship the Lord God. It is a journey of a little bit of walking and a little bit of talking like the Emmaus disciples’ trip described by our author in his other book (Lk. 24). While on the Emmaus road Jesus taught the disciples about His suffering, death and glorious resurrection and the story of salvation all from the O.T. (since the NT had not been written yet.)

It is not uncommon for the Holy Spirit to call us to go on trips that is unknown to us or the destinations we are to take. This trip is similar in nature as the trip Patriarch Abraham was called to take to the Promised Land. By faith He believed and obeyed and his offspring became the Children of Israel who would one day worship the True God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit also asks us to go not only for 50 miles, but our entire life ought to be one of seeking the lost and erring. Our life’s mission should be looking for opportunities to tell the greatest story ever told—the story of the Man who hung on the cross for 6 hours one Friday and changed history and our lives. This is to say, that our whole life should be one of going and going and going and going; like the Eveready Battery. A little bit of walking and a little bit of taking. PAUSE.

In his book, “In My Seat” Steve Scheibener tells the distinct privilege to live for Christ. Steve Scheibener an American Airline pilot was scheduled to fly flight 11 from Boston to LA on 9-11 but at the last moment he was bumped by a another pilot Tom McGuinnes. Steve had written 20 years earlier his life’s objective which is: “To seek, trust and glorify God through humble service and continual prayer. To raise up qualified disciples as quickly as possible, so that one day I might hear God say: “Well done thou Good and faithful servant.”

Steve goes on to say that two people have died in my place. Literally he took my seat. Tom took my seat in flight 11 and Jesus took my place on the cross; Tom and Jesus. Tom can’t take away my sins, but Someday I want to stand in the presence of God and hear Him say, “Well done thou Good and faithful servant.” That is what is on my plate. That is what is driving me these days. Why does God take one and leave another. It is not because I am a better person, or God wanted to do more with me, than He wants to do with Tom. I think in God’s providence that is obviously His choice.

What has stuck with me all these year is the fact He did leave me behind. I need to act that I am living on borrowed time; because I am. I can look and see my smoking hole on national TV. I saw where I should have died but I didn’t. Now there is an obligation that comes with that. I need to live my days with the sense of urgency. Trying to make sure I can get the most out of them. Not the most for me. We live in a world where everybody trying to get the most for them. It is not about me. This is about the distinct privilege I have been given to knowing that somebody died in my place. What I know is that somebody died in my place not once, but twice. That is where God comes in for me. Tom sat in my place and by all rights; I should have sat in that seat that day. But I didn’t. But Tom literally sat in my seat. Tom didn’t die for my sins.

God sent His own Son to die for my sins. Jesus Christ is the other one who died in my place. He hung, and He bled, and He suffered on the cross to pay a price for me, that I wasn’t qualified to pay. I couldn’t have hung on the cross. I didn’t have the same qualifications. So one guy sat on the seat that I should have sat in, and the other hung and bled on the cross. One is far more significant than the other. This is not to trivialize what happened to Tom, but to elevate and glorify what God did for me and mankind on the cross. PAUSE.

What an honor that the Lord of the Church bestows upon us to be His servants, rising and going, walking a little and talking a little and doing it all in His name. This is the privilege you and I as forgiven children of the heavenly get to do—proclaim to the world that Christ is our SOLE Savior from sin death and the devil. This is an awesome blessing the Lord of the Church calls us to be His ambassadors. Consider the honor, the privilege and glorious opportunity the Holy Spirit grants us to share a story like none other to make more disciples to be His followers.

We are told in the text, that after a little bit of riding in the chariot as Philip was talking to him the eunuch said: “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And we are told that the Ethiopian Eunuch left rejoicing after He received the grace of God in Baptism. This man was happy because he had been touched by the hands of Jesus in the miracle of baptism and was the happiest many alive. He understood what it means to be blessed, loved and cared for. He understood how much His Savior, Jesus suffered, died and rose for Him to grant him eternal life.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, do you know that today, in Ethiopia there are more Lutherans than there are in the USA? Could it be this Gentile told them about His experience? Could it be that they are the offspring of the work of this man? It well could be!

As joyful we are about the eunuch being baptized and leaving rejoicing, think of what it means for us too, that we have been touched by the Savior’s hands in Baptism. Envision in your mind what heaven is going to be like—a little bit of walking and a little bit of talking, not with Philip, not with the angel, and not even with the happy eunuch, but with Christ our Savior. Oh, the joy of doing a little bit of walking and a little bit of talking with Jesus, hand in hand. No wonder we are rejoicing now and will forever. PAUSE.

Oh, you have been touched by the One who died and rose for you know this, today, the Holy Spirit, asks us to “Rise and Go” in His name to other places. He asks to teach others the grace of God. He asks us to be His companions on the long road of life. I pray that we would be faithful in our efforts to be evangelists sharing the Good News with all people—Gentiles and believers alike. To God be the glory as we Rise and Go by His might and power to make disciples of all nations. In Jesus’ name Amen.

Now the peace…

SOLI DEO GLORIA

“The Divine Vine Produces Fruit” (John 15:5-6)

S-1315 5SAE/3B 5/06/12 Hymns: (O) #10; (S) #271; (C) #409

Text: Acts 8:26-40; 1 John 4:1-11; John 15:1-8

Theme: “The Divine Vine Produces Fruit” (John 15:5-6)

Question: “Are you producing?” Armour, SD. MSL Sunday

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! The text is from Acts: “I Am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned” (John 15:5-6).

Blessed branches of the Divine Vine, Jesus Christ, as some of you know, I love to garden. I enjoy being on my knees, getting my hands dirty, taking little seeds, planting them in the ground and waiting for the harvest of tomatoes, carrots, radishes, beans and the like. It is evident that many others do too. As you drive around our community, you see many garden spots.

Today, as we observe Main Street Living Sunday, the Gospel lesson from John, portrays a beautiful picture of our heavenly Father as the Gardener, His Son Jesus, as the Vine and you, as the branches. And this image is one of the closest and most intimate pictures of the relationship between Christ and those who by faith believe in Him.

Keep this in mind; this discourse is taking place in the Upper Room on the night when He would be betrayed. Jesus had just finished washing the disciples’ feet, told them about Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s denial that will soon take place. He taught them of the Father’s large house that has many rooms, His going away and coming back, and only through Him they will be able to get to the Father. And now, He declares to His closest comrades that He is the Vine.

You don’t need to be a gardener to understand that image. We can certainly see that strong Vine coming up out of the soil, bringing life to the branches attached to it. You can see the lush green leaves that are growing on that Vine and the abundant fruit produced.

The Holy Spirit helps us with eyes of faith to see how God planted this Vine, Jesus the Christ as the Life-giving Vine into this world at Bethlehem’s manger. How this Divine Vine grew up and nurtured and nourished many that came in contact with Him. How this Divine Vine grew from Bethlehem’s stable to Calvary’s Skull Hill, from a manger of poverty to a mountain of pain; to bring about eternal life for people like us. Yes, we can see the fruit of the Divine Vine produced by Him for our benefits. And Jesus and only Jesus can claim such a title—as the Life-giving Vine.

In His teaching in the Upper Room Jesus goes a step further saying “You are the Branches!” “You” He said, looking at people like us. Yes, people like us who have been brought to faith in the Divine Vine—are as closely connected to Him as are branches to a vine. They are intertwined with Him, growing tight around Him, eternally alive in Him, and daily draw spiritual strength, sustenance and support from Him to produce fruit for Him.

The Lord Jesus continues in the text to say, “Whoever abides in Me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing”. This is a laser focus statement from the Savior of the world, apart from Me you can do nothing. If we are not connected to the Vine, the branches will die and will not produce fruit. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain connected to the Vine. And neither can we bear fruit unless we remain in Him.

This is so important for us to hear and understand. Many people claim to be Christians, but have nothing to do with the Church. Many people say they believe in Jesus but never worship, serve or obey Him. Many say, I can be a Christian but don’t have to be in God’s house. That is such foolish talk. Scripture is so clear in teaching us we can’t be on our own and expect to live and grow and produce fruit. Without the Divine Vine there will be no fruit produced. No connection to Him means no nourishment for faith. No nourishment leads to faith drying up and of course, no fruit of faith in daily life. Disconnected from the source of life, a person can only be dead.

But to those who are connected to Him, they produce fruit of joy, peace, love, patience, kindness and the like. Anyone who is connected to the Divine Vine will by faith bring about fruit worthy of the Divine Vine. I share with you an example of this fruit-bearing in the life of a fine Christian woman by the name of Edna. Edna, due to her advanced age and declining mobility, would benefit from watching TV programs like Main Street Living. God nurtured and nourished her, God sustained and strengthened her in that way. She was a faithful branch of the Divine Vine. Everyone could see it in her life.

Edna died a couple of years ago. In her obituary, her family acknowledged her faithfulness and her Christian influence. They quoted Proverbs 31:28 – Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. Such a woman, the holy writer says in the same chapter of Proverbs, is “far more precious than jewels.” She is an amazingly productive woman; therefore, “the heart of her husband trusts in her” (Proverbs 31:11a). And why wouldn’t he have full confidence in her? You should see the list of the things she can do, this amazing woman from Proverbs 31. She works in both wool and flax, says the writer, harvesting these fibers, processing them, and making them into garments. She brings food from afar. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. This woman makes Martha Stewart look like a slouch, a slacker! But that’s the way it is with faithful Christian wives and mothers, who are branches of the Vine, Jesus Christ. They work, they serve, they love, they bring their children up in the fear of the Lord. Yes, such a woman is far more precious than jewels. And such was Edna!

Such faithful branches of the Vine, like Edna, would probably protest: “Pastor, I don’t know about all that. I just do what I have to do; it isn’t that big a deal.” You know why a Christian would say such a thing? Because our strength and ability to bear such fruit comes from Jesus, the Life-Giving Divine Vine! That’s why. PAUSE.

Faithful branches of the Divine Vine, Jesus Christ, we want our lives to be like Edna’s—productive. But in order for us to be like that, we need to remain connected to the Vine. How then do we avoid becoming dead branches? The key, of course, to our remaining vital branches and not becoming dead branches in the kingdom of God is to remain connected to the Vine, Jesus, and to receive nourishment from Him! That’s why Jesus came to earth in the first place. We and all humankind were helplessly dead branches, whose destiny it was to be picked up and thrown into the fire. Lifeless, fruitless, worthless, dead-in-sin branches!

But at the right time, when we were lifeless, fruitless, worthless, dead-in-sin branches, Jesus, the promised Shoot of Jesse and Son of David appeared. Jesus was and is the Divine Vine, and He came to bring life to us all!

Jesus had a most unusual plan to bring us life. He would have to suffer, and even, for a time, be cut off from God the Father as He took the sin and eternal punishment of all humankind upon Himself on the cross. The Divine Vine, Jesus, died. He was buried. But in three days He rose from the dead. After 40 more days, He ascended into heaven. And He, the living Lord, has given us the great gift of the Holy Spirit, who, through the tools of God’s Word and Sacraments keeps us connected to the Vine, giving us saving faith, active faith, and keeping us in the faith.

It is clear: by God’s power through the powerful message of Jesus Christ we remain connected to the Divine Vine…and we live…forever with Him and produce fruit for Him.

On this day as we observe Main Street Living TV program we want to thank the Divine Vine for moving people in SD to produce fruit for Him. Every week the Lord uses pastors from this beloved District and Minnesota to share the Life-giving Word with those who are no longer able to be in the house of the Lord.

We need this ministry of Main Street Living, because people need Jesus, the Divine Vine! For over ten years now, Main Street Living has been produced. The first broadcast of Main Street Living was made on January 6, 2002. Five hundred broadcasts later, it’s still going strong, thanks to the faithful branches who volunteer their time to feed many on a weekly basis.

The cost of these broadcasts, while reasonable, is still substantial. Each broadcast costs about $2000 to produce and air. You and I as living branches have the privilege of keeping the broadcasts going through our offerings to Main Street Living. Will you prayerfully consider giving something to help ensure that the show continues for many more years? Will you consider offering regular gifts to this vital ministry? I pray that you will for the glory of God and the benefit of your neighbor.

Today, join me in thanking the Divine Vine, who uses us to produce fruit for His honor. Today, the Holy Spirit blesses you as He keeps you connected to Him, so that you may live with Him forever and ever. Amen.

Now the peace…

SOLI DEO GLORIA