“A Christmas Tree In Bethlehem” (Isaiah 11:1)

S-1397 2SIA/A 12/08/2013 Hymns: (O) #63; (S) #645; L.S. 73; 307; 74; (C) #70?

Texts: Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12

Theme: “A Christmas Tree In Bethlehem” (Isaiah 11:1)

Question: “Have you put up your Christmas” Armour, SD

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! The text for our meditation is from the O.T. lesson: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from His roots shall bear fruit” (Isaiah 11:1).

INTRODUCTION: In Nomine Iesu.

Most precious people of God, a story is told of an Englishman who purchased a 35 foot Christmas tree. Cut it in 3 pieces and put two sections on the first and second floor inside his house and the third he placed on the roof. He made it look like the tree was coming out of the roof. (an illusion)

Isaiah, that voice of the O.T. Gospel rings new in our ears today, with the glorious message of hope, restoration and renewal. The message is this: Out of the midst of cut off tree; a stump will grow and bear fruit. In chapter (10), this prophet tells us that God “will cut off the trees of Assyrian and Israel.” Yet, out of cut off tree “will” (notice that) will there is a promise here, come forth a shoot that will be unlike any other tree. For this reason I have titled the sermon: “A Christmas Tree In Bethlehem”

If you have been to Israel, especially in the Garden of Gethsemane, you would have seen new shoots coming out of old olive tree stumps. These shoots do bear fruit. Even this past summer, in front of the parsonage, after the big tree was cut off, shoots sprouted from the ground. This is what God promises in this text. And anyone who is around that Shoot will have peace for the present, hope for the future, and joy forever.

Isaiah goes on to say, upon this Shoot lands Seven (7) spirits—that is the perfect number given by God. In and through this Shoot every prophecy will be fulfilled and ultimately leads to the salvation of mankind. In this text Isaiah declares that God will do something special - in the devastation left behind after the destruction of Assyria and Israel. A branch would grow out of the stump of Jesse. A branch would be grafted into the tree that had been cut down and destroyed.

In this magnificent painting, Isaiah reveals what God will do through this branch—it will bud with fruit that is evident to all. Therefore, we must ask who was/is this branch? The answer is clear—it was/is the long expected Messiah—the promised One to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It Is Jesus-the heaven-sent Savior. The prophecies about the coming Messiah started right after the devil seduced the first couple to disobey God by eating from the tree of good and evil. In Isaiah 7, more is revealed about this promised One stating, that a virgin would conceive and give birth to a son and we would call His name Immanuel. A couple chapters later (9), God spoke of this Child who would minister in Galilee and would be a great ruler and leader of His people. This Messiah would be a light to those walking in the shadow of death.

In the text Isaiah tells us this Messiah would be like a great tree growing out of the stump of Jesse. God was going to plant a Christmas Tree in Bethlehem. And just like the tree in that Englishman’s home, God’s Tree is a huge tree. Though the Jewish Tree was cut off, driven into exile, and almost wiped out, and even the offspring of David was about to die in the Bethlehem’s massacre, yet God intervened! And out of the stump came forth a Shoot who has changed the world—His name is Jesus. When Jesus had fulfilled His mission – when He came to die for the sins of the world and rise again on the third day from the dead - He ended up having huge influence. More influence than anyone has ever had or ever will. PAUSE.

One person described Him this way: “He was born in an obscure village. The child of a peasant woman. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty. And then became an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn’t go to college. He never traveled 200 miles from the place where He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness.”

Another person observed: Socrates taught for 40 years, Plato for 50, Aristotle for 40 BUT Jesus for only 3 1/2 years. Yet His influence infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined years of the teachings from all the world’s greatest philosophers.

Jesus painted no pictures yet some of the finest paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci obtained their inspiration from Him. Jesus wrote no poetry, but Dante, Milton and scores of the greatest poets were inspired by Him. Jesus composed no music. Still Hadyn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfection of melody in the music they composed in His praise. Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today He is the central figure of the human race. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, and the kings that ever reigned have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that One Solitary Life.

That One Solitary Life –that single Shoot that had been grafted into the Stump of Jesse - grew to such a large tree that He has changed nations, tribes, culture, history, and the world. But most importantly He changed our lives—yours and mine.

The Tree God planted in Bethlehem (Jesus) became a BIG tree. But this tree was not a new planting. The old tree, crooked and gnarled by sin and death, was cut off. But this cutting off was not to kill it. It was to make it blossom and grow again as it had originally been intended in creation. So the Master of Creation’s Garden, The Father Himself grafts this shoot on to the blessed “Stump” of Jesse…and this stump is no illusion as the story of the Englishman. He is as real today as when God made that promise. And that promise was for you and for your children Peter tells us in his Acts sermon.

Today, that Shoot and Branch is the largest tree in the world. It is larger than this year’s Christmas tree in Rio De Janeiro which stands at 278 feet tall. This tree is not that tall in size, perhaps 5 ½ - 6’. But its height reaches into the heavens. Beneath it shades people find comfort and peace. From its leaves we are given fruit that keeps us alive forever. And the benefit of that tree is eternal.

The Christmas tree that stands in Rio De Janeiro will die, be cut up for wood, and burned. But the Christmas Tree in Bethlehem was dead, but is alive forever. And from its Shoot people receive forgiveness of sins, pardon from hell and everlasting life.

No wonder Isaiah shares with us the glorious news of what this Tree will do. Bring about harmony between God and man, man and man and even animal and man. As Isaiah tells us: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Is. 11:6-9).

From His abundant fruit we shall receive the richest of fares and drink from the eternal juices that fill us with the greatest satisfaction. That is why this Tree brings us such tremendous joy—because this Tree came to restore life to us in the midst of death and suffering. Through the death of that Tree and it sprouting to life again on the third day, He has conquered death and gives us life unending.

Today, we thank God for the Christmas Tree in Bethlehem, for this Tree is eternal, it will never dry up, it will never be cut down, it will never die, and it ALWAYS has green leaves to gather the nations beneath it and give them joy eternal, and peace everlasting. Amen.

Now the peace…

SOLI DEO GLORIA

“Come Let Us Go!” (Isaiah 2:2-3)

S-1395 1SIA/A 12/01/2013 Hymns: (O) #55; (S) #239; (C) #82

Texts: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 21:1-11

Theme: “Come Let Us Go!” (Isaiah 2:2-3)

Question: “Have You Been Invited to go Some Place Lately?” Armour, SD

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! The text for our First Sunday in Advent is from O.T: “It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion shall go the law, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem’” (Isaiah 2:2-3).

INTRODUCTION: In Nomine Iesu.

Children of the Light, I like to be the first to wish you Happy New Year! Yes, you heard me right. I greet you like this because today marks the beginning of a new Church Year with the season of Advent. Once again, our journey will lead us from expectation to fulfillment, from darkness into light, from manger’s cradle to Calvary’s cross and the empty tomb.

Advent is a blessed season that helps us look backward and forward. We look back to the Nativity of our Lord Jesus as we hear the familiar words of prophesy about a Virgin and a Baby King and a sleepy little village turned the center of the Universe and we know that Christmas is on its way!

But Advent is so much more than just pre-Christmas! While the rest of the world is consumed with the high feast of retail gluttony, Advent, by the grace of God and the working of the Holy Spirit, compels us to look forward to the glorious Second and Final Advent. For the same Lord who entered our created world in humility as an infant King has also promised to return. But this Second return will not be so meek and mild. This Second Advent will be one that finalizes the changes that were set in motion by Christ’s first Advent.

Thus, Advent is really a season of invitation. That is exactly what the Prophet Isaiah is doing in the words that serve as our sermon text. “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths.” Isaiah, bids the people of Israel and us to come to the mountain. It isn’t just any mountain—but the Lord’s mountain where God Himself will intervene in human history and change the world forever. The mountain of the Lord is Mount Zion or better known as Jerusalem. And this trip to Jerusalem is not some tourist destination. Even though some 3.5 million people visit the Holy Land each year, the prophet is talking about so much more—God’s promises fulfilled!

But why Jerusalem? Jerusalem isn’t that great a city. It has never been seen the center of culture like Paris, or the center of commerce like New York; or viewed as cosmopolitan as London or Rome. Jerusalem has never been that special or prominent until King David established it as his headquarters. It never was a special city. So why does the Prophet invite us to come to Jerusalem?

The answer is clear. Because this is where God determined to make Himself known and present. The Prophet tells us It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills. This lifting up will not be because of some geological phenomenon. The hill on which Jerusalem sits will not suddenly shift higher in the sky than the peak of Mt. Everest. But a day is coming when Jerusalem, the Holy City set atop of God’s holy mountain will be made the most important of the cities! It is important because this is where the Lord promises to do His work!

The Old Testament faithful viewed Jerusalem, the site of the Temple as the place where heaven and earth intersect and where sinners meet their Holy God. While God promises to be ever-present in His creation, He does make the promise that there will be a place where He guarantees to be found. It was there that generations of the faithful brought their lambs and rams, bulls and birds in the foreshadowing sacrifice of Temple worship. And it was in Jerusalem that Yahweh Himself made the ultimate sacrifice. Jerusalem was the setting for the Gospel lesson for today. On the very same day that the lambs were brought into Jerusalem for the Passover sacrifice, Jesus entered the Holy City as both King and Lamb. It was on Golgotha, just outside the Holy City where our Lord Jesus Christ, the Babe of Bethlehem and Lamb of God, was crucified as the once and final sacrifice for all sin of all humanity. His blood which freely flowed from His battered body was the judgment of God on all mankind. Jesus the Holy Child of Bethlehem takes our place and willingly receives all of the judgment and death that our sins deserve! The hostility and division that existed between Creation and its Creator, humanity and their Lord was forever undone! That’s why the Lord invites us to come and go with Him this Advent!

The Lord tells us, “Come let us go” to Jerusalem, not only on this First weekend of Advent, but every day. For in that city, we behold the mighty works of God that changes history and our lives forever! For the Word of the Lord that goes out from Jerusalem declaring that our sins are forgiven not only once, but over and over again.

This daily return to the mountain of the Lord is critical because while we look back to what Advent has already achieved, we know that there is still more to be done. We know that Christ’s Second Advent will come and usher the very PEACE that Isaiah proclaims. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. We know full well that as we speak there is more than one nation on our planet that isn’t beating its swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. We know that all over the globe nations are not only learning war, they are getting everything in place to make it happen!

And it isn’t just the nations that behave like this. We do the very same things individually. Even among those of us who make this annual Advent trip, seeing the wonder of the Christ Child and following Him all the way to the Cross and empty tomb, are slow to put down our swords and spears. We keep our armaments handy so that we can do battle with the very people that our Lord has called us to be at peace with! We engage in the hand to hand combat of vengeance and refusal to be reconciled to one another. We cheapen the sacrifice of Christ by withholding the peace of forgiveness from one another. We are quick to bite and devour. While we come here to sing of Advent peace, in our hearts we beat the sinful drums of war against God and one another. Be honest! You do this! I DO THIS! All sinful human beings do!

That is why Isaiah invites us to go to the mountain. Advent helps us see the Lord’s work among us and in us. As the days of Advent pass by, the darkness seems to deepen. Yet the more the darkness deepens, the more the light shines. It seems as though the darkness of our world and of our own hearts gets deeper and deeper. This darkness can be scary. In fact, it can be downright terrifying when we are reminded where the darkness of sin ends! But the Lord calls us back to Jerusalem today and every day to see the Light of the Lord. In our baptism we have been delivered from the domain of darkness and placed in the marvelous saving light of Jesus Christ! It is there that we are made part of the house of Jacob. The house of Jacob of all time and all places draws its light from what our Lord does for us! At the cross He once for all judged between nations and settled disputes with many peoples. In Christ, outside the walls of Jerusalem the judgment was done! This light sets us on the new path that the Psalmist talks about in Psalm 119:105 “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” That is precisely what Isaiah invites to. Come let us go to the mountain. From the mountain flows the Word of God Incarnate. From the mountain flows the Eternal Light that will never be extinguished.

This light, flowing from Jesus and His holy Mountain guides us each and every day as the darkness of our present age deepens. The light of the Lord leads us in ways that seem out of step with our world and it is. His Word teaches us that this world is not our final destination. He teaches us the truth that in Him there is life, light and eternal love. The ambition and angst of this era will give way to a much more beautiful eternity that will know no more sin and war and death. The Light of the Lord’s Word will lead us.

And that day, while it is coming, is already here now. For the Lord once again teaches us His way today. His way is His Word. This Word kills us in our sin and makes us alive because of the Word made Flesh Jesus! Until that final day, we are called to walk, not in darkness but in the Light of the Lord. Filled with the Word as it is preached and fed to us in the Holy Supper, that Light of the Lord washes over us.

Today, Isaiah the prophet invites us saying “Come let us go!” not to Starbuck to have a cup of coffee, but to His Holy Mountain, where we can spend time with the One who chose to enter our created world and to create in us a new heart that lives in the Light of His grace. And Jesus, whose name in Hebrew is Isaiah, says to us also, “Come let us go to My Mountain. For on that Mountain I have won Your eternal salvation, forgiven you your sins and made you mine forever.”

Therefore, as children of the Light, walking on the journey of Advent, and listening to Isaiah anew, we hear him saying: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,” and by the grace of God, and His Spirit, we begin the climb up to the mountain. AMEN.

Now the peace of God…

SOLI DEO GLORIA

“Giving Thanks to God” (Psalm 100)

S-1394 TD/C 11/28/2013 Hymns: (O) #568; (S) #36; L.S. #313; #572(C) #577

Texts: Deuteronomy 8:1-8; Philippians 4:6-20; Luke 17:11-19

Theme: “Giving Thanks to God” (Psalm 100)

Question: “Why Should You be Thankful?” Armour, SD

Blessed Thanksgiving Day to each and every one of you faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! The text for this Thanksgiving Day is from Psalm 100: “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 100).

INTRODUCTION: In Nomine Iesu.

Most precious people of the Resurrection this past Sunday we were in Sioux Falls having supper at our oldest son’s (Tony) house. At the table my oldest grandson’s wanted me to sit by them, so I sat between them. As the food was dished, Myles asks his mother to help him cut the lasagna. I said, “Grandpa will cut it for you.” After I cut it Myles said, “Thank you grandpa!” I was impressed. He then wanted to have some Mozzarella cheese sprinkled on it. Again, I said, “Grandpa will help you.” He, again said, “Thanks grandpa!” I said to him, “Myles that is so nice of you to say thank you. You are so sweet! Then his mother (Jody) said, “At the daycare, they have been learning about manners. So Myles wanted to make a ‘politeness plan’ where we made a chart that listed manners and nice things to do, and then a chore or a consequence for not doing it.”

It is indeed beautiful to hear a young child who wants to have a politeness plan in place to learn the art of saying thank you and please. Out of the mouth of children the truth is told. Even from the mouth of a child, we are reminded that we need a plan to be polite towards God. And to help us with this plan, the author of the Psalm has the perfect plan in the words of the text for our celebration of Thanksgiving Day.

Did you know that in the Hebrew Scripture the title of this Psalm is “A Psalm of Thanksgiving”? In this Psalm, we truly have the perfect politeness plan. In the opening words we are exhorted and encouraged to: “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!” But why should we? Why does it matter? Because it is fitting for us who have been touched by the saving hands of God Almighty to thank Him, serve Him and sing His praises daily. PAUSE.

In a book titled Reading the Psalms with Luther, Luther states this regarding this Psalm: The 100^th psalm is a prophecy of Christ. It calls on the entire world to be joyful, to praise, and to give thanks, that is, to worship God and come to His throne and His courts, and to call on Him with all confidence. For His grace is an eternal kingdom, which truly remains forever and ever. Yes, indeed it is about our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. The whole wide world is called to be thankful for the mercy He gives undeservedly, for the love He pours unconditionally, the forgiveness He offers freely and the promised eternal life and salvation that is ours because of His Hesed—His grace..

We are taught and exhorted in the words of this Psalm to say thank You Lord for Your mercies which are new every morning. Every day we have opportunities and privileges to say thank You Lord for Your goodness to me a sinner who deserves nothing but wrath and punishment. Because of Your faithfulness towards me I have the blessings of knowing You intimately and bask in Your saving grace.

The Psalmist goes on to say: Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! That is part of the politeness plan to worship, pray and praise the Lord God Almighty. We are to make it a habit to enter His place of worship and give thanks to Him daily and praise Him for His goodness and faithfulness. For in this place we are constantly reminded of our need for a Savior and how the mercies of that Savior are delivered to us. In this place we are immersed with His goodness, faithfulness and love. In this place we get to dine not on turkey and stuffing, but on the precious Word and Life-Giving Sacrament. PAUSE.

But tragically, because of our sinful human nature we don’t worship our Savior often or give Him thanks always. We need to be taught as my grandson Myles was to be polite and say thank you. But that is not in our sinful and self-centered nature. We often think we are the ones who have it made. We think that by our own might and power, we make our own future plans and our dreams come true; but that is not the case. It is always a gift from the Lord Himself.

We are reminded of this truth in the Gospel lesson for Thanksgiving. One out of Ten lepers came back to say thank you to Jesus for being healed. But why was he the only one who said, “Thank you Lord!”? Because he knew what he needed and what was at stake for him without it. He needed the healing touch of the Savior to make him whole and let him live among his family and family of faith. This leper understood that before, he was head­ing for hell; afterward, he was readied for heaven. No wonder he knelt before Jesus with his humble thank you.

Why do we so often forget to say our thank-yous? Why do we have to be reminded to say thank you, just like we do for the little children? Could it be that, unlike that leper, we forget what we deserve and how much we’ve received? Thanksgiving is a time to remember that the only thing we deserve from God is damnation in hell. We don’t deserve the Savior He has sent or a bit of the forgiveness of sins He brings. Neither do we have the rights to the lesser gifts in life. We have a slice of bread to butter, a stitch of clothing to wear, fresh air to inhale, a loved one to enjoy, only because He is our merci­ful Father. Gratitude begins with remembering our unworthiness and His abundant HESED—His GRACE and mercy.

Genuine gratitude colors not only this Thanksgiving Day, but each day of our lives. The Psalmist reminds us of that with the words of the text. And even the Apostle Paul said it this way, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Col. 3:17).

Therefore, by the power of the Holy Spirit let us develop and execute today and everyday a politeness plan. In this plan let us review the blessings the Savior gives us daily. Let us sing, praise, pray and worship Him for being so faithful to us sinners. By the Spirit’s power as we are gathered in His house to hear His Word and receive His precious Sacrament, we know what precious gifts He gives us and are moved in humility and joy to say THANK YOU JESUS FOR LOVING ME A SINNER.

On this Thanksgiving Day, it is fitting for us, to say with Luther as he teaches us in the explanation of the First Article of the Creed saying: “for all which is my duty to thank and praise him, this is most certainly true!” Therefore, we boldly confess and say: “Thanks be to God for every blessed gift He bestows on us.” Amen.

Now the peace…

SOLI DEO GLORIA.

“FOREVER Abiding” (John 15:4-5)

S-RUTH 26SAP/C 11/22/2013 Hymns: (O) #32 SOD; #457 (S) ##552; (C) #533

Texts: Isaiah 41:8-10; Rev. 21:1-7; John 11:

Theme: “FOREVER Abiding” (John 15:4-5)

Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed Alleluia! The text for the celebration of the new life promised to our departed sister Ruth is her confirmation verses “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 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” (John 15:4-5).

INTRODUCTION: In Nomine Iesu.

To you most precious children of the resurrection, let this day be of great comfort and joy though you are in the midst of sorrow and pain. Let it be a day of light and not of darkness. Let it be a day of blessing rather than a burden. Why? Why? Because, today, by the power of the Resurrected Christ we celebrate life not death! Today we rejoice in God keeping His promises to His beloved daughter in the faith—Ruth! Today we thank the Lord that your mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and great-great-grandmother is in the arms of the crucified and risen Christ. Today we declare to the world that Ruth is FOREVER abiding with Her faithful Good Shepherd Jesus.

I say this with great confidence because these are not my words, but the Words of the Author of Life—Jesus Christ our ONLY Lord and Savior. The sermon hymns we just sang “Abide With Me Fast Falls the Eventide” was written by Henry Lyte in 1847. Lyte was in­spired to write this hymn as he was dy­ing of tu­ber­cu­lo­sis; he fin­ished it the Sun­day he gave his fare­well ser­mon in the par­ish he served so ma­ny years. Here are some of his farewell words to his beloved congregation: “O breth­ren, I stand here among you to­day, as alive from the dead, if I may hope to im­press it upon you, and in­duce you to pre­pare for that sol­emn hour which must come to all, by a time­ly ac­quaint­ance with the death of Christ.” With these last words spoken by this preacher, he gave his congregation and us joy that fills our hearts.

The opening stanza of the hymn is this: Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide. When other helpers fail and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, O abide with me. What is the goal of this hymn? To abide forever with Jesus. For this reason I have titled the sermon FOREVER abiding. I can say for certainty that our departed sister Ruth even now is abiding FOREVER in the presence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

When she was only 27 days old (Baptized Feb. 29, 1920) her parents brought her to the font at St. Peter’s Lutheran church and the minister of the Gospel spoke these precious words over her, “Ruth, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” That day, by that majestic water connected to the Word she was grafted into the eternal Vine, Jesus Christ.

Thirteen years later on her confirmation day June 4, 1933 she was given these verses from the Gospel of St. John “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 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.” These words were of great comfort and strength for her in her earthly pilgrimage. By the grace of God she remained connected to the Vine not by her own works, but only by the grace of God her Savior.

She remained connected to the Vine as she gathered often in His house to hear His Word and dine at His table. She bore fruit of repentance and joy as she confessed her sins and received absolution. Even when she was unable to be in the Lord’s house, the Lord went to see her and give her His precious body and blood often.

Even until her final days the Holy Spirit used her to bear fruits of faith, love, compassion and kindness to others. As I visited with many of you—family members and friends you would say: “Mom loved people. Treated me like her own daughter from the day I was married into the family. She helped many who were in need. She is a great aunt. Not only by name, but truly a GREAT AUNT!

But there is more, not sure how many of you know this. Ruth paid out of her own pocket for the oil to keep the Eternity Light burning in this house of worship. I don’t share this because by these acts she earned points in the sight of God to let her into heaven. No, I share these thoughts with you because she lived the life of one who knows that to abide in Christ is to live for Christ; to declare His praises and shout to the world that I am marked forever to be His own as His very little lamb. PAUSE.

Remember that her name RUTH means “friendship” And she was a friend to many. And now she has unending friendship, only now she beholds face to face her dearest FRIEND of whom we sang “What A Friend We Have in Jesus”. I will use her name as an acrostic

R = Remained called by gospel, she was fed and led by W & S. She cherished the time she got to spend around His Word growing and maturing in that Word. She never cut herself off that vine, but was forever abiding in Him.

U = Unending existence in paradise that began when she left this world.    She is part of the unending Alleluia Chorus of the saints who are by the throne of Grace in heaven who shout saying: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen” (Rev. 7:10b-12).

T = Trusting Jesus she was not disappointed. She knew that this Jesus has kept every promise ever made. He defeated satan, destroyed death and done away with the punishment of sin. Sin has no hold on us. The grave can’t keep us and the devil can’t accuse us. Jesus has paid the payment of our redemption.

H = Hope, her hope, now realized is our hope to which we look forward too, and which often I read to her from 1 Peter “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”, (1:3-9). Hope is faith looking towards the future based on Jesus perfect keeping promises in the past. How do we remain in Him? “To obtain such faith, God instituted the Office of the Ministry, that is provide by the Gospel and Sacraments.” In this Jesus gives us a BIG promises.       

In the Gospel of St. John 15 the word “Abide or “Remain” is mentioned nine times. Jesus uses this word for a reason to assure us that He is the Vine and we are the branches without Him we can’t do anything.     

“Abide with Me and I will abide with you.” Jesus said. He has done that to our departed sister Ruth. As we heard in our Gospel reading today from John: “I Am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world” (John 11:25-26).

Ruth by the power of the Holy Spirit has believed this and therefore is FOREVER ABIDING with her Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ.

My prayers for you as well are these: that you too, would remain and abide in Him. Amen.

Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Now the peace of God…

SOLI DEO GLORIA

“Costly Peace” (Colossians 1:19-20)

S-1393 LSOCY/C 11/24/2013 Hymns: (O) #2; (S) #356; L.S. #311; #308(C) #354

Texts: Malachi 3:13-18; Colossians 1:13-20; Luke 23:27-43

Theme: “Costly Peace” (Colossians 1:19-20)

Question: “How much do you value peace?” Armour, SD

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! The text for our meditation is from the Epistle lesson: “For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:19-20).

INTRODUCTION: In Nomine Iesu.

Saints in Christ, in an article written by Bob Greene titled: “The Cost of Peace” he states: “We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.

Through history, peace in the world has often, of necessity, been attained by the most brutal means available during military conflict. There is a dichotomy intrinsic to wars waged in pursuit of peace—an uneasy divide between lightness and shadows. Tranquility born of bloodshed; happiness the end result of horror. We don’t like to think too much about that, and no wonder. The truth behind it goes against our better nature.

What is the most beloved image celebrating the joyous end of World War II? It’s the Alfred Eisenstaedt photo of the sailor and the nurse embracing in Times Square. Even now, more than 60 years later, that photo makes people weep with glad emotion, makes them grin with across-the-generations exultation. That photo, it is often declared, says it all.

But there would be no photo of the sailor and the nurse were it not for scenes no one likes to see in photographs: the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that brought the awful years of war to a close. It is perfectly explicable that we much prefer bathing ourselves in exuberant images of the first hours of peace, rather than the gruesome images of the last hours of war. http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/26/opinion/greene-peace/index.html

This is so true. We love living in the USA because it provides us peace of mind and peace of heart. We cherish our military personnel especially as they are decked with their military uniforms, but we don’t like the images of maimed, in a wheel chair or in a casket. Likewise, we love the image of the Peace-Maker, Jesus Christ as the Good and Faithful Shepherd who carries the lamb on His shoulder, but we don’t like the gruesome image of the beaten, bruised and bleeding Savior on the cross. We like Him as the One who brings comfort and joy and peace, but we don’t like to hear of judgment, punishment and condemnation. We like Jesus talking about heaven and eternal life and forgiveness. But when we hear of the wages of sin, hell and God’s wrath, it is totally another story. PAUSE.

According to a 2009 Harris Poll many people around the country and the world do not believe in hell or that it even exist. Why not? Because they say, “God is love”. That is absolutely true. God’s very nature is love. Love flows from God to us; and Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the gruesome tree of the cross is the ULTIMATE evidence of that love.

The message of the Bible is that God is also fair and just and if people disobey Him there is punishment and condemnation. Paul said it this way: “The wages of sin is death” and he went on to say, “but the GIFT God is eternal life”.

God’s gift to humanity was the sending of His only begotten Son—Jesus Christ. Christ’s Gift to humanity was His suffering, death and resurrection from the grave. By that gift we have received the gift of peace. That is costly indeed. It cost Jesus His own precious blood shed to cover all of our sins and clothes us in His white robes of righteousness.

As believers and followers of His teaching we know what it cost our Savior to win our peace. His life was spent in the selfless sacrifice pouring out His blood-every drop of it for you and for me. For this reason, today and every day we stand beneath the cross of Christ covered with His blood and bask in the forgiveness which He earned for US on Calvary’s cross! PAUSE.

Beloved in the Lord, there is an African Proverb that says: Peace is costly but it is worth the expense. How true that is in relation to our salvation and eternal life. The Apostle Peter spoke of the cost of our peace with these words: “…knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19). The price of this peace wasn’t paid in gold, silver or US currency, NO, it was the precious, spotless, holy, innocent blood of the Lamb—Jesus.

Because of this cost, the Blood-shedding Christ gives us peace with God and with our neighbors. Therefore, as a child of God through faith in Jesus, His Son, you enjoy a peaceful relationship with God right now. Through faith in Jesus you enjoy all the blessings of peace, life, and forgiveness that Jesus won with His holy life and sacrificial death.

Know this truth beloved saints, God redeemed us (that is He bought us back). He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. This is how we get the costly peace.

On this Last Sunday of the Church Year-the Sunday of the Fulfillment may we always remember that peace is costly—it carries a price tag that we could never imagine or hope to pay on our own. It is costly because it cost our Savior Jesus His life. Christ gave us this peace by living the holy life we are unable to live, suffering and dying the penalty for the sins we daily commit, and rising from the dead in the victory over sin, satan and death itself all for our forgiveness, salvation and eternal life.

Because of this great act of mercy and compassion we have peace with God for today and always. God embraces all who know He forgives through Jesus’ blood hurled on them after being thrown onto the cross. This demonstrates the COSTLY PEACE, and the glorious case of the depth of God’s underserved grace that makes God’s love unconditional and unbeatable.

This peace is yours today, not because of anything that you have done, but on account of the Peace-Maker, and the Mediator, and the Redeemer of mankind—the heaven-sent Savior, the Son of God. Oh, that you and I would bask in this peace and praise Him daily for all He has done and continues to do for us.

To be sure, it is for more than just us! Our Lord who has paid such a high price for our peace sends us out to be peace-makers in His world. We do this by introducing people of every tongue, language, tribe and nation to Jesus! We do this as instruments of the Holy Spirit that is calling, gathering and enlightening the entire Church on earth. In this we lead others to see the gruesome images of the cross as the sign of eternal peace! And this peace can never be taken from them or us!

To that end, we celebrate on this Last Sunday of the Church Year—the Sunday of Fulfillment and say all praise be to God the Father, and the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Now the peace…

SOLI DEO GLORIA

“Turning Hearts” (Malachi 4:5-6)

S-1392 26SAP/C 11/17/2013 Hymns: (O) #5; (S) #323; (C) #52

Texts: Malachi 4:1-6; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-28

Theme: “Turning Hearts” (Malachi 4:5-6)

Question: “What causes your heart to turn?” Armour, SD

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! The text for our meditation is from the O.T. lesson: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction” (Malachi 4:5-6).

INTRODUCTION: In Nomine Iesu.

Most beloved of the Lord, it is easy to turn heads. The fleeting glimpse of beauty or ugliness can turn heads. A magnificent mountain or a mangled accident can turn heads. A stunning woman or a hideous injury can turn heads. But a heart is not turned so easily. Heads are distractible. Hearts not so much. That is because the heart is central to who we are. Your heart just keeps beating away. To be distracted from this task is to die. This is the way it is for the body. It is the way for faith. That which is your heart is central to who you are. This is great if we are talking about the heart of faith. But what if your heart is set on false things? It is also difficult to take your heart from that. That is what Jesus has come to do. Incarnation and crucifixion, Jesus comes to invade your heart. He doesn’t come to cajole your heart. He seizes it. He turns it from death to life. He takes possession of it. He buys it not with gold or silver but with His holy precious blood and innocent suffering and death. Your heart is now His. You are not your own. You belong to him. Your heart has been turned. This is not something you can do. It is an act of grace not decision.

Therefore, as the precious children of the resurrection be prepared for the working of the Holy Spirit upon your hearts today. Today, there will be a surgical procedure on your hearts and mine that will turn us again to the Great Divine Physician of mercy, grace, and love—Jesus the Christ. Today in this place you will hear the mind-boggling work of God on your heart and mine that causes you to know with certainty and confidence that our hearts belong to Him not only for a while but forever. PAUSE.

In God’s inspired and inerrant Word, God uses the term “heart(s)” at least 867 times. Much of His Word is instruction about the care and keeping of our hearts pure from sin and filth. So what does it take to turn our hearts back to Him? How does His Word affect this heart of ours to believe the pure and simple teaching of truth found in Scripture? How do we not let the devil rob us of the joy that fills our hearts because of what Christ has accomplished on Calvary’s cross, so that we may not experience the Dreadful Day of Judgment?

Certainly it is not easy to turn the heart back to God. For that matter, it is impossible for us to do so, on our own; but there are certain things that cause our hearts to skip a beat, or churn with anxiety.

Case in point, when you are in love and you see the person you love, it causes your heart to dance and be filled with joy. But at other times, the heart is aching, broken and filled with sorrow as you see the one you love is laying in a casket ready to be lowered into the darkness of the grave. When the doctor says to you, “Its malignant, we need to operate!” Or when a pastor receives a call to serve another congregation his heart turns and becomes unsettled and so does the congregation.

But the turning of the heart is the work of God. As we come in contact with the Word, that Word does its work of cleaning every evil, impurity, falsehood and inequity from us and fill it with the knowledge of the truth—that our redemption has taken place, our reconciliation has been completed and our rejoicing has begun.

That is precisely what Malachi teaches the people of Israel and us through these words: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” The Lord is sending Elijah so that he may teach us the truth that sets our hearts free. Free to worship, serve, honor, love Him and be with Him.

Elijah did come. He pointed others to the coming of the Kingdom that they should repent and believe in Jesus Christ. He came with such a voice that it rang in the wilderness, in the cities and even in the king’s palace calling all to follow the Heaven-Sent Messenger—who would die for them and rise again to give them eternal life and turn their hearts of stone to hearts of flesh.

It is impossible to avoid the power of God’s Word when you come in contact with it. That Word changes you forever and makes you a follower of Jesus. The Word of God we are told is: “…living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12), and Isaiah says, “…[the Word] shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (55:10-11). The Word of God was sent to turn the hearts of men and women to be hearts that believe in the Savior Jesus for salvation and forgiveness of sins. PAUSE.

That turning of heart was worked out in the life of any enemy of the cross who upon coming in contact with the Word his life was changed forever. This is his story.

In 1980 as a young Muslim man I had a very dear friend, who happened to be my brother. We did everything together. My brother was killed by Christian militia. I vowed revenge for his life. In the day time I went to college and at night I would roam the streets to kill the “enemies of Islam” as I called them. I led a double life: assassin at night and student in the daytime.

As a student at the American University, I had to take a course in cultural studies, for which I had to read selections from the Bible. I knew the Quran well, but the Bible I never held in my hands or even looked at. I read the Sermon on the Mount at the climax of my hate and thirsts for vengeance. Christ’s exhortation: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:45) struck me with a full force. I felt that I had heard the voice of God in stereo. I knew what an enemy is, and sought to kill my enemies. But, in this strange, new and life-giving Word he felt that Jesus’ exhortation was superhuman and cannot emanate from an ordinary human being, but from a divine source. Though many of my religious leaders taught that the Bible was distorted by Rabbis and bishops, Christ’s words “Love God from all your heart, and love your neighbor” sounded authentically divine. Even through the loss of my brother, I thought: “There is another way, a way of forgiveness.” And there was! PAUSE.

Jesus the Divine Surgeon touched his heart and turned it around so that he became a follower of the Crucified One. He came to America, studied in one of our Seminaries and today, thanks to Jesus who talked to him in Beirut, Lebanon he is a Pastor of Kanisat Al Salam = The church of peace (Chicago, IL); and he speaks often to other Arabs and Muslims so that they may meet the same Savior who turned his heart from hatred to love, from death to life and from darkness to light. You have heard me speak of him many times. He is Pastor Hicham Chehab a dear friend and a brother in Christ.

By the grace of God, we, too, have been touched by that Word. In our Baptism as the splash of water was connected to the Word of promise our hearts were made alive and turned from death to life, and from darkness to light. And our hearts continue to be turned as we come in contact with the living Word offered on the Altar in Body and Blood—in, with and under the bread and wine. Here in this place, today Christ continues to turn your hearts to know Him, serve Him and follow Him forever.

Oh, the joy that fills our hearts to know that they have been turned simply by the Divine Physician, Jesus Christ. To Him Alone Be ALL the Glory now and always, amen.

Now the peace…

SOLI DEO GLORIA

“What’s the Question Behind the Qusetion” (Luke 20:27-31)

S-1391 25SAP/C 11/10/2013 Hymns: (O) #465; (S) #461; L.S. #487; #628; (C) #477

Texts: Exodus 3:1-15; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8, 13-17; Luke 20:27-40

Theme: “What’s the Question Behind the Qusetion” (Luke 20:27-31)

Armour, SD

Faithful followers of the Savior, Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Alleluia! The text for our meditation is from the Gospel lesson: “There came to Him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, and they asked Him a question, saying, ‘Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. And the second and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife’” (Luke 20:27-31).

INTRODUCTION: In Nomine Iesu.

Beloved in the Lord, while I was at the seminary, our professor of Systematic Theology, the Rev. Dr. Jack Preus the 3^rd would always say in class: “What’s the question behind the question?” Why are you raising such a question? What is the hidden agenda behind the question?

That is really what is going on here in the Gospel lesson before us. There is more than meets the eye. It behooves us to dig deeper into this inquiry that has been posed to Jesus by the Sadducees.

The Sadducees pose a question to Jesus about which, if any, of the woman’s seven earthly husbands would be her husband after death. Please notice how Luke describes the encounter between Jesus and this group of leaders. They don’t believe in the Resurrection from the dead. Therefore, there is more to their question than what is on the surface. And what is the question they ask? They want to know to whom this woman will belong, since she has had 7 husbands.

What you behold here, is that these Sadducees are attempting to mock Jesus and His teaching. The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. They attempt to ridicule this belief by using a far-fetched example to make nonsense of it. The question is really not about to whom will she belong, but do you really believe there is life after death? Do you really believe in the Resurrection? If so, Jesus, You are out of Your mind.

Jesus takes the opportunity in teaching these mistaken leaders about the truth that frees and fills the heart with peace and joy; He instructs them about the Resurrection. He tells them in the books of Matthew (22:29ff) and Mark (12:24ff) on the same subject these words: “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘I Am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living’”. Jesus affirms with certainty there is Resurrection from the dead. PAUSE.

After all, is this not why He came to earth, was born like us in the flesh, lived the perfect life and died our death so that we may have life and have it abundantly? Is this not why He endured God’s wrath, tasted hell, suffered the punishment we deserve was crucified on the gallows of the cross? Absolutely! Positively! He came to do away with the power of the grave. To free us from the slavery of satan and wipe our hearts clean from sin. His death on the cross and His rising from the dead is both the promise of and the guarantee of our resurrection!

While the lies of our world might lead you to see and believe that there is only an end in death, Jesus gives us so much more! Jesus taught that when someone dies, there’s still more to come. And He wasn’t talking about just going to be with Him on death, wonderful as that may be. No, He was talking about the end of time, the Last Day, the day the dead, our bodies, will rise out of the graves, whatever that grave may be—a casket, an urn, the deep sea, or simply bones turned to dust in a desert. There’s still more.

Think of it this way. There’s life—the life we live right now, day by day. Then we die, and there’s life after death— when the souls of those who believe in Jesus go to be with Him, while their bodies are left behind. Then there’s “life after life after death.” (Note: The phrase "life after life after death" comes from an interview with N. T. Wright conducted by Preaching Today at the 2008 National Pas­tors Conference.) That’s the Last Day resurrection of the body when it’s reunited with the soul. That’s what Jesus was talking about: There’s still more. There’s a final day resurrection of the body. And that Final Day will know that there is no end.

The Sadducees said they didn’t believe in the Resurrection, but Jesus said, ‘THERE CERTAINLY IS!” In the Gospel of John we even hear Him say these words: “I Am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will NEVER (emphases mine) die (11:25-26).

The Sadducees didn’t get it, because they were “Sad you see.” But the sons and daughters of God believe in this wonderful gift of love and life, hope and heaven. We believe that because Jesus suffered on the cursed tree we don’t have too. Because He was put in a cold grave, we will too some day; but because He rose victoriously on the Third day, we SHALL ALSO. We shall live and be happy, not like the Sadducees who were Sad you see because they have no hope or joy or peace.

To be sure there is more to life than just what we live day by day. Now, we may not be those who deny the resurrection or are so spiritually apathetic, but the Sadducees’ spirit still lives on, even in our own hearts, our own minds. Have you ever felt that way, that there’s no more, that this life is all there is? Sometimes, the doubts are so real. You look at a body in a casket. You see it doesn’t move. The grave looks so final. You wonder, “Is this all there is? Could this be it? There’s no more than what our eyes behold.”

Or perhaps you’re so caught up in everyday life that you’re more like many who have apathy towards Christ and His Word that you care to admit it. Too busy to think about the Last Day of the Resurrection. Too connected to TV, movies, cell phones, Facebook the Internet to give much thought to what more there may be. Too worried about the bills or a family member or your retirement to get excited about. If you are like this, then the spirit an attitude of the Sadducees lives in you.

But we know better. We have studied the Words of Christ. We have heard His promises. We have been baptized into His name. We have dined at His table. We have been fed, nourished and cherished. We have been blessed and by the power of the Holy Spirit, our hearts are filled with pure joy in knowing for certain that there is more than meets the eye. That the God we have is the God of the LIVING and not the Dead.

This truth is also highlighted in our O.T. reading. “God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:15). Did you hear it, did you get it, though Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have been dead, the Lord spoke of them as living.

Therefore, I speak to you today the same message of love and life, hope and salvation given to people of old and people of today, we are the sons of the Resurrection. So what’s the question behind the question? It is this: We believe, teach and confess that Jesus Christ’s death on Calvary’s cross and His rising from the dead guarantees my Resurrection and yours. That there is an eternal, physical, redeemed and resurrected life awaiting us! We have our Lord Jesus’ promise on that! Amen

Now the peace…

SOLI DEO GLORIA