Wait for the Lord
This is the time of the year when there is more darkness than daylight. I am sure that you have noticed how that is the case by the evening commute. The morning one is not much better. It can be downright dreary at times and then you add in the clouds and rain like this past Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and the color of the sky doesn’t get above grey.
Light is a positive thing. It has a way of making us feel better when we get some vitamin D from the sun’s rays and safer when we have a nightlight in the hallway. But we have to wait for longer days with more light.
And yet during this stretch before Christmas there is light. Each week the glow from the candles on the wreath gets brighter as we get closer to the 25th. That reminder brings joy and security. But that holiday is not here yet. It is still Advent.
And that is what Advent is about—waiting.
And not just a wait for great presents wrapped under an evergreen tree—real or fake, but for a Baby resting in an animal manger, true God and true man.
And it is not only a wait for grandparents arriving to stop by for a time to give presents, but a Judge appearing to set free for an eternity to grant paradise, all-knowing and almighty.
Yes, we wait. Wait for the Lord.
That is who the psalmist David draws our attention to—to the Lord, the One who is constant in his compassion and continual in his kindness (Ex 34:6,7). And then David pulls those things together—light and safety.
“The LORD is my light and my salvation” (Ps 27:1). Jesus was present at creation when God called out the command with his word: “Let there be light” (Ge 1:3). And there was. Light is the most basic element that provides and promotes life. The two go together. Where there is light there is life—bright blossoms and brilliant blooms on flowers. Jesus is the “light of the world” (Jn 8:12) who removes our darkness as his glory shines on us—right now on earth and forever in heaven (Is 60:2,20; Re 21:23). And he is life (Jn 11:25; 14:6).
Imagine the sight that first Christmas evening when the angel appeared to the shepherds with the good news of Jesus’ birth. And then the Bethlehem sky lit up with the huge number of heavenly hosts, praising God: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” (Lk 2:14). And that is why we get excited during Advent. Jesus is our light. And he is our salvation. He comes to save us from our sins (Mt 1:21). Every time we mention the name “Jesus,” we mean “Savior.” We will again hear the messenger from heaven with a message from heaven: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:11). Wait for the Lord—your light and salvation.
“The LORD is the stronghold of my life” (Ps 27:1). He was a place of refuge for David, a source of protection. Wait for the Lord—the stronghold of your life.
David understood the importance of the Lord being his light and salvation and stronghold. He had his enemies.
From the outside. He was forced to go on the run as a young man when King Saul wanted to take his life and David hid in caves. And also as an older man as his son Absalom wanted to take his throne and David fled from Jerusalem. But the Lord protected him and preserved him.
From the inside. He battled his sinful nature. And often lost. We think of his sad lapse with Bathsheba.
And so he asks: “Whom shall I fear? … Of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps 27:1). No one. Nobody. That is because the Lord was on his side—his light, his salvation, and his stronghold.
At Christmas we marvel at the miracle that Jesus became flesh (Jn 1:14). He is Emmanuel, “God with us” (Mt 1:23). God is for us. No one can be against us (Ro 8:31). There is no reason to be frightened like a child shudders when he hears a noise at night. There is no cause to shake in terror like when a person shivers from the cold. We can stand firm. “The LORD is my light and my salvation. … The LORD is the stronghold of my life” (Ps 27:1). No enemy can take that happiness, that help, and that shelter away from us—not sin, not death, not the devil.
If that were not entirely true, we would easily lose hope (Ps 27:13). But we are convinced that the Lord is good (Ps 106:1). It is so. He looks after us physically. He cares for us spiritually. Last week Thursday allowed us to review that in our lives. We respond by being grateful for the Lord’s enduring mercy—that he observed us in our lost condition and offered his Son to be our Substitute. Jesus carried our sin as he died on the cross and conquered death as he came out of the grave. We are convinced that it is so. And so Thanksgiving rolls into Advent and into Christmas. We appreciate Jesus who is coming to rescue us from our sin.
So David has us look for the Lord with the same eagerness as a child does as the presents pile up in the living room. “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (Ps 27:14). We wait because with the Lord there is forgiveness (Ps 130:4). Patience may not be easy—even more so during December, but waiting is an expression of faith like we know that lighter days are ahead. The Lord will act. He came one time. He will come a second time. Wait for the Lord.
We read from …
Psalm 27:1,13,14
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? …
13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.
November 30, 2016
St. John Lutheran Church Sermons
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Sunday, November 27, 2016
First Sunday in Advent (Matthew 24:36-44)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ (Ro 1:7). Amen.
It is Advent. It is a Latin word that means “coming.” That summarizes the thought of this new season of the church year. Jesus is coming.
During this stretch of Sundays, we look in two directions. We glance backwards and forwards—to Jesus’ first coming and to his second coming.
He arrived once as a baby, wrapped in cloths in a manger. We celebrate that on Christmas Day.
He will appear again as a Judge, riding on the clouds of heaven (Mt 24:30). We will see that on the Last Day.
That ultimate time is what Jesus focuses our attention on today. Be ready! Jesus teaches when. And he tells how. We read from …
Matthew 24:36-44
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the King who comes,
There have been a string of days lately that we have put some sort of designation in front of them. We do it to mark them as special—separate from a normal day of the week. Thanksgiving Day. Black Friday. Small Business Saturday. For many, there has been plenty of feasting—being stuffed with turkey and cranberry. And for some, there has lots of shopping—being satisfied with deals and steals.
But what about today? I am not aware of anything catchy. So we are free to create our own. How about Advent Sunday? It is that—the first of four.
As with all those other days recently, we want to be prepared. It is important and imperative that we listen as Jesus calls out:
Be Ready!
1. Jesus teaches when (36,44)
2. Jesus tells how (37-44)
1. Jesus teaches when (36,44)
If family is getting to your house at noon for the big Thanksgiving meal, perhaps you have to get up at 4:30 to put the bird in the oven so that it is cooked properly. If the doors open at 6 PM on Thursday for Friday sales, you may have to start lining up at 2 in the afternoon so that you can file in politely. You don’t want to miss the right time. Jesus makes the same point. Be ready! Jesus teaches us when.
It had been a busy day for Jesus. It was Tuesday of Holy Week, three days before he would hang on the cross. His enemies came after him all day, their red hot anger burning against him. They tried to trick him and trap him because they wanted him dead. But they failed, one after the other.
Before Jesus and his disciples headed out of the city, the twelve commented on the beauty of the temple and it surroundings. That is when Jesus dropped the bombshell: “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (Mt 24:2). They must have been shocked and stunned. What?
They probably couldn’t wait until they got to the olive grove outside of Jerusalem to ask. When? “Tell us … when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age” (Mt 24:3). In his reply, Jesus mentions the destruction of the city and the finale of the world.
He gave them some markers of the end—false christs, wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, and the like (Mt 24:5-7). But here is Jesus’ answer: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mt 24:36). Is that startling? The angels we get. But Jesus? It is a marvel and a mystery. Note Jesus’ name for himself—the Son of Man (3 times). True God and also true man. As man, he didn’t always use his divine omniscience—that he knows all things. He gave up that full and constant use of that ability. That is a truth of Scripture.
The exact time is unknown. It is privileged information. But the expressed teaching is known. Jesus came at a definite time in history. We commemorate that on December 25. We know precisely when that will be—28 more days. We don’t highlight that so we can countdown how many more days there are to spend money at the mall to put presents under the tree. But to underscore that the first coming guarantees the second.
We don’t have the definite date—hour or day—when Jesus will return. That causes some to scoff, “‘Where is this coming’ he promised” (2 Pe 3:4). Everything seems so normal—one day following the last. Say what they will, we are sure. We confess it often. They are not hollow words: “[Jesus] ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead” (Apostles’ Creed).
Jesus is coming. Instead of circling something on a calendar, we serve the One who saved us—not sinning like crazy and then shaping up at the last moment. As the prophet Isaiah encouraged: “Let us walk in the light of the LORD” (Is 2:5). As the apostle Paul echoed: “So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Ro 13:12). Clothed with Christ (Ro 13:14) who turns darkness into light (Ps 18:28), we carry on, not misusing the time, but making the best of it. Be ready (Mt 24:44). Jesus teaches us when—at any time.
2. Jesus tells how (37-44)
The “when” of dining or saving helps with the “how”—as long as it doesn’t include pushing and pepper spray either in the kitchen or in the aisles. You scour ancient recipes for suggestions and search internet coupons for possibilities. All for the right moment. Jesus shares the same idea. Be ready! Jesus tells us how.
Jesus took his disciples back to the book of Genesis—to the great flood (Ge 6-9). He made a comparison between then and now. “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” (Mt 24:37). There was a certain rhythm and routine. “For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark” (Mt 24:38). Those four things were part of their continual activity. Not that they are wrong. Those are all good gifts from God—nice and necessary. But that is all they thought about. Their wicked hearts were preoccupied with them (Ge 6:5).
It is not that they didn’t have inkling, but they ignored it for 120 years. It is not as if Noah could hide that big boat—larger than a football field—in his backyard. Why would he construct such a ship when there was no huge body of water nearby? Add to that, Noah was a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Pe 2:5), exposing their sin and explaining the Savior.
But as Noah peeked down from his ladder, his neighbors were more than happy gnawing on a turkey leg and sipping a cold soda, or putting on a white gown or donning a black tux. It was their ongoing concern rather than the impending catastrophe. They didn’t believe that it would ever occur. I wonder what they thought when it started to sprinkle and then pour. Or when the water was waist high. Then it was too late when the water came and took them all away (Mt 24:39).
Then Jesus drives it home: “That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” (Mt 24:39). It will be business as usual until the skies divide and the angels descend, And then it will be too late. “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left” (Mt 24:40,41). One will be snatched to eternal safety—the believer, the other remaining for eternal destruction—the unbeliever. It will be that fast and furious and final. That kind of talk is not to scare us, but to support us. We have nothing to be afraid of. Like David, we depend on God: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge” (Ps 18:2). He will rescue us to be with him forever (1 Thess 4:17).
And so Jesus issues that caution: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Mt 24:42). Keep your eyes open like when you are driving—defensively, not offensively. That is not a time for some shuteye. We don’t want to get lulled to sleep, walking around like a zombie—getting up, going to school or work, and then heading back to bed. Jesus is coming unexpectedly. We don’t want to lose the urgency.
That suddenness Jesus supports with another illustration of what occurs when we don’t think it will: “If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into” (Mt 24:43; cf. 2 Pe 3:6-10).
No thief texts his business: “I am planning to stop by your house at 2:37 AM on September 4.” No robber sends an email, “I am free at 4:51 AM to go through your garage on October 18.” If he would be so foolish, we would set our alarm and alert the police. Or whatever you need to do to prevent that. So Jesus teaches how. “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Mt 24:44). Be ready—at all times.
With Advent beginning, we fix our eyes to the past and to the future—to Jesus’ two comings, to take away our sins and to take us away to heaven. And so we will keep putting descriptions before days—Cyber Monday and Taco Tuesday. (Eating and shopping apparently go together.) That is until the Last Day. Be ready. Jesus teaches us when and how. It is for our Father to say. It is for us to pray: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Re 22:20). Amen.
To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen (Ro 16:27).
November 27, 2016
It is Advent. It is a Latin word that means “coming.” That summarizes the thought of this new season of the church year. Jesus is coming.
During this stretch of Sundays, we look in two directions. We glance backwards and forwards—to Jesus’ first coming and to his second coming.
He arrived once as a baby, wrapped in cloths in a manger. We celebrate that on Christmas Day.
He will appear again as a Judge, riding on the clouds of heaven (Mt 24:30). We will see that on the Last Day.
That ultimate time is what Jesus focuses our attention on today. Be ready! Jesus teaches when. And he tells how. We read from …
Matthew 24:36-44
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, the King who comes,
There have been a string of days lately that we have put some sort of designation in front of them. We do it to mark them as special—separate from a normal day of the week. Thanksgiving Day. Black Friday. Small Business Saturday. For many, there has been plenty of feasting—being stuffed with turkey and cranberry. And for some, there has lots of shopping—being satisfied with deals and steals.
But what about today? I am not aware of anything catchy. So we are free to create our own. How about Advent Sunday? It is that—the first of four.
As with all those other days recently, we want to be prepared. It is important and imperative that we listen as Jesus calls out:
Be Ready!
1. Jesus teaches when (36,44)
2. Jesus tells how (37-44)
1. Jesus teaches when (36,44)
If family is getting to your house at noon for the big Thanksgiving meal, perhaps you have to get up at 4:30 to put the bird in the oven so that it is cooked properly. If the doors open at 6 PM on Thursday for Friday sales, you may have to start lining up at 2 in the afternoon so that you can file in politely. You don’t want to miss the right time. Jesus makes the same point. Be ready! Jesus teaches us when.
It had been a busy day for Jesus. It was Tuesday of Holy Week, three days before he would hang on the cross. His enemies came after him all day, their red hot anger burning against him. They tried to trick him and trap him because they wanted him dead. But they failed, one after the other.
Before Jesus and his disciples headed out of the city, the twelve commented on the beauty of the temple and it surroundings. That is when Jesus dropped the bombshell: “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (Mt 24:2). They must have been shocked and stunned. What?
They probably couldn’t wait until they got to the olive grove outside of Jerusalem to ask. When? “Tell us … when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age” (Mt 24:3). In his reply, Jesus mentions the destruction of the city and the finale of the world.
He gave them some markers of the end—false christs, wars and rumors of wars, famines, earthquakes, and the like (Mt 24:5-7). But here is Jesus’ answer: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mt 24:36). Is that startling? The angels we get. But Jesus? It is a marvel and a mystery. Note Jesus’ name for himself—the Son of Man (3 times). True God and also true man. As man, he didn’t always use his divine omniscience—that he knows all things. He gave up that full and constant use of that ability. That is a truth of Scripture.
The exact time is unknown. It is privileged information. But the expressed teaching is known. Jesus came at a definite time in history. We commemorate that on December 25. We know precisely when that will be—28 more days. We don’t highlight that so we can countdown how many more days there are to spend money at the mall to put presents under the tree. But to underscore that the first coming guarantees the second.
We don’t have the definite date—hour or day—when Jesus will return. That causes some to scoff, “‘Where is this coming’ he promised” (2 Pe 3:4). Everything seems so normal—one day following the last. Say what they will, we are sure. We confess it often. They are not hollow words: “[Jesus] ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead” (Apostles’ Creed).
Jesus is coming. Instead of circling something on a calendar, we serve the One who saved us—not sinning like crazy and then shaping up at the last moment. As the prophet Isaiah encouraged: “Let us walk in the light of the LORD” (Is 2:5). As the apostle Paul echoed: “So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Ro 13:12). Clothed with Christ (Ro 13:14) who turns darkness into light (Ps 18:28), we carry on, not misusing the time, but making the best of it. Be ready (Mt 24:44). Jesus teaches us when—at any time.
2. Jesus tells how (37-44)
The “when” of dining or saving helps with the “how”—as long as it doesn’t include pushing and pepper spray either in the kitchen or in the aisles. You scour ancient recipes for suggestions and search internet coupons for possibilities. All for the right moment. Jesus shares the same idea. Be ready! Jesus tells us how.
Jesus took his disciples back to the book of Genesis—to the great flood (Ge 6-9). He made a comparison between then and now. “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” (Mt 24:37). There was a certain rhythm and routine. “For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark” (Mt 24:38). Those four things were part of their continual activity. Not that they are wrong. Those are all good gifts from God—nice and necessary. But that is all they thought about. Their wicked hearts were preoccupied with them (Ge 6:5).
It is not that they didn’t have inkling, but they ignored it for 120 years. It is not as if Noah could hide that big boat—larger than a football field—in his backyard. Why would he construct such a ship when there was no huge body of water nearby? Add to that, Noah was a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Pe 2:5), exposing their sin and explaining the Savior.
But as Noah peeked down from his ladder, his neighbors were more than happy gnawing on a turkey leg and sipping a cold soda, or putting on a white gown or donning a black tux. It was their ongoing concern rather than the impending catastrophe. They didn’t believe that it would ever occur. I wonder what they thought when it started to sprinkle and then pour. Or when the water was waist high. Then it was too late when the water came and took them all away (Mt 24:39).
Then Jesus drives it home: “That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man” (Mt 24:39). It will be business as usual until the skies divide and the angels descend, And then it will be too late. “Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left” (Mt 24:40,41). One will be snatched to eternal safety—the believer, the other remaining for eternal destruction—the unbeliever. It will be that fast and furious and final. That kind of talk is not to scare us, but to support us. We have nothing to be afraid of. Like David, we depend on God: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge” (Ps 18:2). He will rescue us to be with him forever (1 Thess 4:17).
And so Jesus issues that caution: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Mt 24:42). Keep your eyes open like when you are driving—defensively, not offensively. That is not a time for some shuteye. We don’t want to get lulled to sleep, walking around like a zombie—getting up, going to school or work, and then heading back to bed. Jesus is coming unexpectedly. We don’t want to lose the urgency.
That suddenness Jesus supports with another illustration of what occurs when we don’t think it will: “If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into” (Mt 24:43; cf. 2 Pe 3:6-10).
No thief texts his business: “I am planning to stop by your house at 2:37 AM on September 4.” No robber sends an email, “I am free at 4:51 AM to go through your garage on October 18.” If he would be so foolish, we would set our alarm and alert the police. Or whatever you need to do to prevent that. So Jesus teaches how. “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Mt 24:44). Be ready—at all times.
With Advent beginning, we fix our eyes to the past and to the future—to Jesus’ two comings, to take away our sins and to take us away to heaven. And so we will keep putting descriptions before days—Cyber Monday and Taco Tuesday. (Eating and shopping apparently go together.) That is until the Last Day. Be ready. Jesus teaches us when and how. It is for our Father to say. It is for us to pray: “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Re 22:20). Amen.
To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen (Ro 16:27).
November 27, 2016
Friday, November 25, 2016
Thanksgiving Eve
Now thank we all our God … with hearts
Now was a good time. The nation of Israel was on the verge of entering the Promised Land. But without Moses. Their faithful leader for the past four decades would not be accompanying them. So as he says good-bye to them in the book of Deuteronomy, he holds God before them. Moses didn’t want any of them to forget the Lord their God.
Now is a good time. We are at the eve of celebrating this Thanksgiving holiday. All of us have reason to thank God as we remember him. We give thanks to him for he is good (Ps 106:1)—every good and perfect gift comes to us from God our Father (Ja 1:17).
It had been a 40 year detour. (A four minute one tests and tries our patience.) It was not because of bad directions, but bad decisions. God had proven his mighty power by rescuing his people from the cruel slavery in Egypt. How did they respond? By grumbling over and over. And griping again and again. And then when the 12 spies surveyed the land, they didn’t think that the God who brought them out of one country could bring them into another (Nu 14:21-23). So God disciplined them by not allowing them to go directly to take possession of Israel. Everyone 20 years and older would occupy a grave in the desert.
But now a new generation stood before Moses. This was the time to cross the Jordan River and conquer the excellent land. In a series of farewell sermons, Moses recalls for them God’s love to them. God had guided and guarded them—their clothes did not wear out nor did their sandals (Dt 29:5) [nor did they go out of style], but now he was giving them a good land.
But each of them was to be alert like when you are driving anywhere in the Twin Cities with or without a winter storm warning of snow, sleet, or slush. You have to be attentive. So Moses pleads: “Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God” (Dt 8:11). “Forget” is in the sense of not remembering certain information and then losing sight of its significance like an expensive ring handed down from mother to daughter is hidden in a dresser drawer and not worn. They were not to do that with the Lord their God. We are not either. When we consider all that the Lord our God does, we have the proper reaction. We are grateful because the Lord is good (Ps 106:1).
Moses highlights a real danger. Pride. “Then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Dt 8:14).
It can happen that our hearts have a problem. Arrogance. We lift ourselves up and think too highly of ourselves. God made us—who we are and what we are (Ps 100:3). We had no say or made no suggestions. And it wasn’t because we deserved it, but because he determined it—eyes, ears, intelligence, wisdom, possessions, stuff. What we have is from a good and merciful Father in heaven.
And not just our physical belongings, but our spiritual blessings. We are no longer slaves to sin, but free in Christ—free from sin and free to serve. With diligence and in detail we keep what he directs us to do—his commands, his laws, and his decrees. Not to get things. But to give thanks.
It all begins with the right attitude in our hearts. Now thank we all our God with hearts.
We read from …
Deuteronomy 8:7,11,14
7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills. … 11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. … 14 Then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
Now thank we all our God … with hands
Our hand and wrist have 27 bones. That allows us to move our hands in many different ways, thanks to the 29 muscles as well. We are fearfully and wonderfully put together (Ps 139:14).
But Moses issues a word of caution to those who were about to settle in a new land—building nice houses and having many flocks and possessing much gold and silver (Dt 8:12,14). For a long time they had been going out and gathering their daily bread in the form of manna.
That would change as they earned a living by farming or shepherding. “You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me” (Dt 8:17). It would be tempting for them to consider and then claim: “Look what I have done. My muscle and my might have accomplished all this.” Instead, “But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today” (Dt 8:18). They were to call to mind the Lord their God. He was the One behind the riches and resources. He was the One who fulfilled his promise to give that location to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob’s descendants.
It is easy to look inward rather than outward. It is alright to take pride in a job well done like a student who is happy to get an “A” or an employee who is thrilled to get a promotion. But it is not due to our sweat and smarts. Those things, too, come from the Lord our God.
It didn’t work that way with our salvation. We did nothing. God did everything. He sent his Son to rescue us from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Jesus did it by pouring out his blood to pay for our guilt to provide our freedom. Jesus made us his very own.
As redeemed children of God, we use the talents and treasures that he supplies to earn a living to take care of ourselves or our families—in righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. Or we develop our abilities until he gives us increased roles and responsibilities.
We labor out of love, employing all 27 bones and 29 muscles of our hands, doing it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Col 3:17). Now thank we all our God with hands.
We read from …
Deuteronomy 8:17,18
17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
Now thank we all our God … with voices
When we give thanks for a present, we are honoring the person who handed it to us. There is no thought of “I deserve this from you” or “You owe that to me.” No. But it is “thank you” or “thanks.” That individual gets the glory.
Moses urged that of the children of Israel: “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you” (Dt 8:10). “To praise” God is to thank him for his greatness and goodness seen in his grace. They were to extol him for all his blessings—from the land to their lives.
In the quiet of this evening as we close our eyes in sweet slumber or in the contentment of tomorrow as we push ourselves away from the table in a food coma, we take time to state it—out loud even, “The Lord my God, thank you. Thank you for the gift of …”
Faith—I can say Jesus is Lord by the Holy Spirit (1 Co 12:3).
Forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation—Those go hand in hand, one leads to the other. We have peace with God and a place with God—on earth and for eternity.
Family and friends—I count them as blessings to hurt with me and to rejoice with me.
Food—More than likely there will not be a shortage in the next 24 hours, but a spread—turkey, potatoes, yams, stuffing, olives, buns, salads, jello. (Even if it is just Thanksgiving pizza.) That is true of the daily bread of today and tomorrow.
Fill in the blank. There is not a lack of reasons to praise the Lord our God—for personal things and in public ways.
Not to us, but to God be the glory (Ps 115:1; 1 Co 10:31). Now thank we all our God with voices. We read from …
Deuteronomy 8:10
When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
Thanksgiving Eve
November 23, 2016
Now was a good time. The nation of Israel was on the verge of entering the Promised Land. But without Moses. Their faithful leader for the past four decades would not be accompanying them. So as he says good-bye to them in the book of Deuteronomy, he holds God before them. Moses didn’t want any of them to forget the Lord their God.
Now is a good time. We are at the eve of celebrating this Thanksgiving holiday. All of us have reason to thank God as we remember him. We give thanks to him for he is good (Ps 106:1)—every good and perfect gift comes to us from God our Father (Ja 1:17).
It had been a 40 year detour. (A four minute one tests and tries our patience.) It was not because of bad directions, but bad decisions. God had proven his mighty power by rescuing his people from the cruel slavery in Egypt. How did they respond? By grumbling over and over. And griping again and again. And then when the 12 spies surveyed the land, they didn’t think that the God who brought them out of one country could bring them into another (Nu 14:21-23). So God disciplined them by not allowing them to go directly to take possession of Israel. Everyone 20 years and older would occupy a grave in the desert.
But now a new generation stood before Moses. This was the time to cross the Jordan River and conquer the excellent land. In a series of farewell sermons, Moses recalls for them God’s love to them. God had guided and guarded them—their clothes did not wear out nor did their sandals (Dt 29:5) [nor did they go out of style], but now he was giving them a good land.
But each of them was to be alert like when you are driving anywhere in the Twin Cities with or without a winter storm warning of snow, sleet, or slush. You have to be attentive. So Moses pleads: “Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God” (Dt 8:11). “Forget” is in the sense of not remembering certain information and then losing sight of its significance like an expensive ring handed down from mother to daughter is hidden in a dresser drawer and not worn. They were not to do that with the Lord their God. We are not either. When we consider all that the Lord our God does, we have the proper reaction. We are grateful because the Lord is good (Ps 106:1).
Moses highlights a real danger. Pride. “Then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery” (Dt 8:14).
It can happen that our hearts have a problem. Arrogance. We lift ourselves up and think too highly of ourselves. God made us—who we are and what we are (Ps 100:3). We had no say or made no suggestions. And it wasn’t because we deserved it, but because he determined it—eyes, ears, intelligence, wisdom, possessions, stuff. What we have is from a good and merciful Father in heaven.
And not just our physical belongings, but our spiritual blessings. We are no longer slaves to sin, but free in Christ—free from sin and free to serve. With diligence and in detail we keep what he directs us to do—his commands, his laws, and his decrees. Not to get things. But to give thanks.
It all begins with the right attitude in our hearts. Now thank we all our God with hearts.
We read from …
Deuteronomy 8:7,11,14
7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills. … 11 Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. … 14 Then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
Now thank we all our God … with hands
Our hand and wrist have 27 bones. That allows us to move our hands in many different ways, thanks to the 29 muscles as well. We are fearfully and wonderfully put together (Ps 139:14).
But Moses issues a word of caution to those who were about to settle in a new land—building nice houses and having many flocks and possessing much gold and silver (Dt 8:12,14). For a long time they had been going out and gathering their daily bread in the form of manna.
That would change as they earned a living by farming or shepherding. “You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me” (Dt 8:17). It would be tempting for them to consider and then claim: “Look what I have done. My muscle and my might have accomplished all this.” Instead, “But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today” (Dt 8:18). They were to call to mind the Lord their God. He was the One behind the riches and resources. He was the One who fulfilled his promise to give that location to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob’s descendants.
It is easy to look inward rather than outward. It is alright to take pride in a job well done like a student who is happy to get an “A” or an employee who is thrilled to get a promotion. But it is not due to our sweat and smarts. Those things, too, come from the Lord our God.
It didn’t work that way with our salvation. We did nothing. God did everything. He sent his Son to rescue us from sin, death, and the power of the devil. Jesus did it by pouring out his blood to pay for our guilt to provide our freedom. Jesus made us his very own.
As redeemed children of God, we use the talents and treasures that he supplies to earn a living to take care of ourselves or our families—in righteousness, innocence, and blessedness. Or we develop our abilities until he gives us increased roles and responsibilities.
We labor out of love, employing all 27 bones and 29 muscles of our hands, doing it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Col 3:17). Now thank we all our God with hands.
We read from …
Deuteronomy 8:17,18
17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.
Now thank we all our God … with voices
When we give thanks for a present, we are honoring the person who handed it to us. There is no thought of “I deserve this from you” or “You owe that to me.” No. But it is “thank you” or “thanks.” That individual gets the glory.
Moses urged that of the children of Israel: “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you” (Dt 8:10). “To praise” God is to thank him for his greatness and goodness seen in his grace. They were to extol him for all his blessings—from the land to their lives.
In the quiet of this evening as we close our eyes in sweet slumber or in the contentment of tomorrow as we push ourselves away from the table in a food coma, we take time to state it—out loud even, “The Lord my God, thank you. Thank you for the gift of …”
Faith—I can say Jesus is Lord by the Holy Spirit (1 Co 12:3).
Forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation—Those go hand in hand, one leads to the other. We have peace with God and a place with God—on earth and for eternity.
Family and friends—I count them as blessings to hurt with me and to rejoice with me.
Food—More than likely there will not be a shortage in the next 24 hours, but a spread—turkey, potatoes, yams, stuffing, olives, buns, salads, jello. (Even if it is just Thanksgiving pizza.) That is true of the daily bread of today and tomorrow.
Fill in the blank. There is not a lack of reasons to praise the Lord our God—for personal things and in public ways.
Not to us, but to God be the glory (Ps 115:1; 1 Co 10:31). Now thank we all our God with voices. We read from …
Deuteronomy 8:10
When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.
Thanksgiving Eve
November 23, 2016
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Last Sunday of End Time - Christ the King (Colossians 1:13-20)
Grace and peace to you from God our Father (Col 1:2). Amen.
It must have been a good question because I still remember it. This is not one from a year or two ago, but from a decade or two ago. It was on the last page of an American history exam my junior year of college. It was an essay. This was it: Name the five best presidents of the US and why. That is genius because the beauty of that is as long as I came up with five and gave a decent enough reason, I would get full credit. (I am guessing that I did. I don’t recall that. Let’s just assume that I got an “A.”)
I wonder if we could do that with Israel’s kings—name the top five and why. We could probably think of David. And there is Saul before him and Solomon after him. Whether or not they were decent might be up for debate. And then when the country split in two, there were many in the north and the south—some good, and many not so good.
Even if we can’t do that exercise, we know the best King of all—Jesus. Jesus is our supreme King because of his royal rescue and because of his royal rule. We read from …
Colossians 1:13-20
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, who is the King of kings,
A rating scale of some sort is not unfamiliar to us. If you go to the hospital, there is a chart. The doctor or nurse ask you to describe your pain from 1-10. Before you add an app on your phone, you can check how many stars others have given it. Then you can make your decision to download or not.
There are not many that use the word “supreme.” I am not even sure what would be the opposite. Maybe worst or lowest. But we get the point. Supreme is the highest. The best. And that is Jesus.
Jesus Is Our Supreme King
1. Because of his royal rescue (13,14,19,20)
2. Because of his royal rule (15-18)
1. Because of his royal rescue (13,14,19,20)
The most that we might be able to do is to be a bit romantic about kings since that form of government is not a reality for us. It is only theory. We can imagine them with their mighty stallion, leading the troops into battle to protect the people by crushing the enemy. If they failed, they would not be king for very long. Jesus’ victory is decisive and definite. Jesus is our supreme king because of his royal rescue.
The apostle Paul makes clear why we can give our King supreme status. “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” (Col 1:13). He dragged us away from danger—dominated by darkness. That is a picture in the Bible of ignorance and death. And he transferred us to the ruling of light. That carries the connotation of wisdom and life. Consider how completely opposite that is of normal experience in history book. When a country conquered another, it made free people slaves. They went to a place that was foreign to them. The freedom that they once enjoyed was gone. But not God. He removed us from slavery to supply us with freedom. He did it through the King, Jesus, his beloved Son (Mt 3:17; 17:5; Eph 1:6).
Jesus, as King, is the One then “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:14). Those two things are critical and comforting.
Redemption. That always carries the idea of a price to be paid to free—like a prisoner of war or a hostage in combat. Jesus did that. True God—Paul comments that “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (Col 1:20)—became true man. He always did what was right. He was without sin, obeying the law for us. And he gives that to us. Jeremiah referred to him as the King who would come from David’s line, “The LORD Our Righteousness” (Je 23:6). What we could not do for ourselves he delivers to us. We are right with God.
Forgiveness of sins. The guilt that was ours is now gone. God cancels our debt. He sends our sins away. Forever. They are so far away that they can’t condemn us or concern us.
Redemption and forgiveness—we have that right now because of the King.
That comes to us through Christ’s cross. That is how God “reconciled” us (Col 1:20). The he restored the relationship that was badly broken. Where there was once opposition and distance there is now friendship and closeness. Paul mentions it in this manner: “making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Col 1:20). Everything is in order between us and God because of what Jesus accomplished on that instrument of Roman torture. He suffered our eternal punishment and pain, pouring out his holy, precious blood (1 Pe 1:18,19).
The cross may not be the first place that we think of a king. Many on Good Friday missed it. That was not defeat, but victory. What was ridicule for them with that sign above Jesus’ head is respect for us: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Lk 23:38). And for us too, the Chosen One (Lk 23:35). Like the repentant thief, Jesus holds out paradise, heaven, to those who hold on to him in faith (Lk 23:43). He didn’t save himself because he saved us. Jesus is our supreme King because of his royal rescue. We can do what the psalmist encouraged: “Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him” (Ps 98:1). That salvation is for us.
2. Because of his royal rule (15-18)
It is overly simplistic since the closest we come to kings is looking across the Atlantic to say that kings rule. We may even envision an elaborate throne. But that is what kings do. Jesus is our supreme king because of his royal rule.
Jesus is uniquely and absolutely qualified to be the King. Paul brings that out in a number of ways.
“The Son is the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15). Jesus is not just like God. He is God (He 1:3). Exactly. “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God” (Nicene Creed). What we contend about the Father we can claim about the Son. And Jesus makes the unseen God seen (Jn 14:9). The Father’s love is evident in sending his Son. Jesus reveals that to us (Jn 1:18).
“The Son is … the firstborn over all creation” (Col 1:15). That suggests first in time since Jesus is eternal—no beginning or end (Jn 8:58), but also first in rank. Jesus is above every last thing. No one is above him because he is over all. That is because “in him all things were created” (Col 1:16). Jesus was present and active in creation (Jn 1:1-3).
And then the creator King is also the controller King. “In him all things hold together” (Col 1:17). He keeps things in the proper place. Instead of chaos and confusion there is cohesion and continuity (Acts 17:28). He is the supreme King of the universe.
What is true of the globe is the case for the Church. It is so in a special way. King Jesus is “the head of the body, the church” (Col 1:18). The comparison is clear. We can do nothing without what sits on our shoulders. (That is where our brains are.) It directs where we go and determines what we do. That is our Savior. We depend on him for everything as he operates in our best interest. In him we live and move and grow. After all, “he is the beginning” (Col 1:18; Re 21:6)—the One from who all things originate.
There is one more title that Paul brings up. He is “the firstborn from among the dead” (Col 1:18). Jesus hung on the cross, but he headed out of the grave three days later. His resurrection guarantees ours. Because he lives we live (Jn 14:19). Jesus is supreme even over death as the Son of God (1 Co 15:20; Ro 1:4).
That is the kind of King that we need—One who created all, One who cares for all, One who conquers all. And we have that King. Jesus is our supreme King because of his royal rule above all and over all. We can do what the psalmist urged us: “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth” (Ps 98:4). That praise is from us.
Your pain might not be high or your stars may not be many, but you understand how to rate things. Even presidents or kings. But we don’t have to come up with any list of five because we have the King. Jesus. He is our supreme King because of his royal rescue and royal rule. He set us free and keeps us safe. There is no one better because he is the best. Amen.
Grace be with you (Col 4:18). Amen.
November 20, 2016
It must have been a good question because I still remember it. This is not one from a year or two ago, but from a decade or two ago. It was on the last page of an American history exam my junior year of college. It was an essay. This was it: Name the five best presidents of the US and why. That is genius because the beauty of that is as long as I came up with five and gave a decent enough reason, I would get full credit. (I am guessing that I did. I don’t recall that. Let’s just assume that I got an “A.”)
I wonder if we could do that with Israel’s kings—name the top five and why. We could probably think of David. And there is Saul before him and Solomon after him. Whether or not they were decent might be up for debate. And then when the country split in two, there were many in the north and the south—some good, and many not so good.
Even if we can’t do that exercise, we know the best King of all—Jesus. Jesus is our supreme King because of his royal rescue and because of his royal rule. We read from …
Colossians 1:13-20
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus, who is the King of kings,
A rating scale of some sort is not unfamiliar to us. If you go to the hospital, there is a chart. The doctor or nurse ask you to describe your pain from 1-10. Before you add an app on your phone, you can check how many stars others have given it. Then you can make your decision to download or not.
There are not many that use the word “supreme.” I am not even sure what would be the opposite. Maybe worst or lowest. But we get the point. Supreme is the highest. The best. And that is Jesus.
Jesus Is Our Supreme King
1. Because of his royal rescue (13,14,19,20)
2. Because of his royal rule (15-18)
1. Because of his royal rescue (13,14,19,20)
The most that we might be able to do is to be a bit romantic about kings since that form of government is not a reality for us. It is only theory. We can imagine them with their mighty stallion, leading the troops into battle to protect the people by crushing the enemy. If they failed, they would not be king for very long. Jesus’ victory is decisive and definite. Jesus is our supreme king because of his royal rescue.
The apostle Paul makes clear why we can give our King supreme status. “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves” (Col 1:13). He dragged us away from danger—dominated by darkness. That is a picture in the Bible of ignorance and death. And he transferred us to the ruling of light. That carries the connotation of wisdom and life. Consider how completely opposite that is of normal experience in history book. When a country conquered another, it made free people slaves. They went to a place that was foreign to them. The freedom that they once enjoyed was gone. But not God. He removed us from slavery to supply us with freedom. He did it through the King, Jesus, his beloved Son (Mt 3:17; 17:5; Eph 1:6).
Jesus, as King, is the One then “in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:14). Those two things are critical and comforting.
Redemption. That always carries the idea of a price to be paid to free—like a prisoner of war or a hostage in combat. Jesus did that. True God—Paul comments that “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him” (Col 1:20)—became true man. He always did what was right. He was without sin, obeying the law for us. And he gives that to us. Jeremiah referred to him as the King who would come from David’s line, “The LORD Our Righteousness” (Je 23:6). What we could not do for ourselves he delivers to us. We are right with God.
Forgiveness of sins. The guilt that was ours is now gone. God cancels our debt. He sends our sins away. Forever. They are so far away that they can’t condemn us or concern us.
Redemption and forgiveness—we have that right now because of the King.
That comes to us through Christ’s cross. That is how God “reconciled” us (Col 1:20). The he restored the relationship that was badly broken. Where there was once opposition and distance there is now friendship and closeness. Paul mentions it in this manner: “making peace through his blood, shed on the cross” (Col 1:20). Everything is in order between us and God because of what Jesus accomplished on that instrument of Roman torture. He suffered our eternal punishment and pain, pouring out his holy, precious blood (1 Pe 1:18,19).
The cross may not be the first place that we think of a king. Many on Good Friday missed it. That was not defeat, but victory. What was ridicule for them with that sign above Jesus’ head is respect for us: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Lk 23:38). And for us too, the Chosen One (Lk 23:35). Like the repentant thief, Jesus holds out paradise, heaven, to those who hold on to him in faith (Lk 23:43). He didn’t save himself because he saved us. Jesus is our supreme King because of his royal rescue. We can do what the psalmist encouraged: “Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him” (Ps 98:1). That salvation is for us.
2. Because of his royal rule (15-18)
It is overly simplistic since the closest we come to kings is looking across the Atlantic to say that kings rule. We may even envision an elaborate throne. But that is what kings do. Jesus is our supreme king because of his royal rule.
Jesus is uniquely and absolutely qualified to be the King. Paul brings that out in a number of ways.
“The Son is the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15). Jesus is not just like God. He is God (He 1:3). Exactly. “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God” (Nicene Creed). What we contend about the Father we can claim about the Son. And Jesus makes the unseen God seen (Jn 14:9). The Father’s love is evident in sending his Son. Jesus reveals that to us (Jn 1:18).
“The Son is … the firstborn over all creation” (Col 1:15). That suggests first in time since Jesus is eternal—no beginning or end (Jn 8:58), but also first in rank. Jesus is above every last thing. No one is above him because he is over all. That is because “in him all things were created” (Col 1:16). Jesus was present and active in creation (Jn 1:1-3).
And then the creator King is also the controller King. “In him all things hold together” (Col 1:17). He keeps things in the proper place. Instead of chaos and confusion there is cohesion and continuity (Acts 17:28). He is the supreme King of the universe.
What is true of the globe is the case for the Church. It is so in a special way. King Jesus is “the head of the body, the church” (Col 1:18). The comparison is clear. We can do nothing without what sits on our shoulders. (That is where our brains are.) It directs where we go and determines what we do. That is our Savior. We depend on him for everything as he operates in our best interest. In him we live and move and grow. After all, “he is the beginning” (Col 1:18; Re 21:6)—the One from who all things originate.
There is one more title that Paul brings up. He is “the firstborn from among the dead” (Col 1:18). Jesus hung on the cross, but he headed out of the grave three days later. His resurrection guarantees ours. Because he lives we live (Jn 14:19). Jesus is supreme even over death as the Son of God (1 Co 15:20; Ro 1:4).
That is the kind of King that we need—One who created all, One who cares for all, One who conquers all. And we have that King. Jesus is our supreme King because of his royal rule above all and over all. We can do what the psalmist urged us: “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth” (Ps 98:4). That praise is from us.
Your pain might not be high or your stars may not be many, but you understand how to rate things. Even presidents or kings. But we don’t have to come up with any list of five because we have the King. Jesus. He is our supreme King because of his royal rescue and royal rule. He set us free and keeps us safe. There is no one better because he is the best. Amen.
Grace be with you (Col 4:18). Amen.
November 20, 2016
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