Proper 12 - O - 2012 - A Post Deluge Promise

Ninth Sunday After Pentecost - Proper 12

July 29, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Genesis 9:8-17            Ephesians 3:14-21       Mark 6:45-56

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today comes from the Old Testament lesson just read, especially these words, “I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  The flood is over for Noah.  Finally after months of being trapped inside of a wooden boat full of animals it is over.  The flood waters that covered the earth are dried up.  The months of stale air, and no sunlight are gone.  The ark has landed, and the door is open.  But as Noah goes outside the ark for the first time, you can imagine his awe and shock.  The world that he remembered is gone.  The family and friends he had that did not make it onto the ark are dead and destroyed.  The homes, the cities, the farmlands, everything that Noah had known from this world is destroyed and buried under the silt and destruction that a worldwide flood can bring. 

Dear friends, as Noah steps off the ark, he is humbled at the mighty power of God and by God’s overwhelming just punishment for sin.  There is no doubt – God hates sin.  There is no doubt for Noah – sin will be punished, it will receive its due reward.  The world that Noah had known, a world of adultery, of murder, of hate and violence cannot exist before an all-powerful holy God. 

And perhaps that’s what worries Noah most.  For Noah knows and remembers preflood world, and was comfortable with it.  Noah himself is no different than his cousins who died, no different from those whose screams of fear rose over the patter of rainfall outside the wooden ark.  Noah has sin.  Noah is a murderer as far as his sin is concerned.  Noah is a greedy person as far as his sin is concerned.  Noah in himself has nothing, no not one thing, that should allow him to avoid this terrible swift judgment of God.  And so Noah has legitimate fear that God will repeat this terrible calamity upon future generations, upon Noah’s children and grandchildren – you and me, because Noah knows his descendants will be no better than he is himself. 

And look us, the descendants of Noah.  Our world is full of chaos and sin.  Just over a week ago a man shot 70 people who had gone to watch a violent movie about the ongoing battle between good and evil in our world.  12 people were killed in this tragedy.  And that is not all that irks us.  Our nation is divided by countless topics.  Who is worse, the people who eat at Chick Fil A or the people who don’t?  Our nation is at war in several countries.  We are in difficult economic times, and it we quickly get into the blame game, “Its that groups fault, so lets take restitution from them.”  Crime surrounds us, and our world every day seems a little more dangerous, and we become a little more wary of those around us. 

Noah was afraid of just and holy God.  Dear friends, we too should be.  We are just as guilty.  We are just as wrong, just as horrible.  We are sinners too aren’t we?  God punished the sin of Noah’s generation with a flood, where all but 8 people died by drowning.  God punished them, even as the rain fell and they cried to the sky asking for it to stop, as they pounded on the doors of the ark, seeking Noah to open it.  Noah was afraid, and you friends ought to be as well for you are, metaphorically, in the same boat as he is.  A sinner, at the mercy of a just God. 

But dear friends, that ought to give you some comfort.  For Noah did not perish in the waters of the flood.  He was rescued.  God came to him, and gave him a way out, a way through the waters.  A way to cheat death, to stay alive even as the world perished around him.  And with God’s help, and only through God’s work, Noah passes through the flood alive.  Finally, as he steps out of the ark, as all the worries about his own sin come crashing in on Noah, God makes Noah a promise sealed in blood, a covenant.  “Never again!  Never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”  God puts his sign of the covenant in the air, a rainbow, so that when it rained, Noah would not look towards the clouds in fear for the punishment of his sin, but instead in the assurance of God’s promises.  Never again will mankind be destroyed by water for their sin. 

And there is a covenant promise for you, a sign lifted in the air to guarantee you that God will not destroy you in the waters of judgment, but pass you through alive.  That sign is not a rainbow, but a cross.  A cross on which God himself was nailed.  An old rugged cross, on which God himself paid the price for sin.  It’s a cross where your sin is forgiven through blood, through toil and through sacrifice.  That cross forgives you, and brings you out of the judgment of God into the forgiveness of sins. 

Dear friends in Christ, it is that cross that is your lifeboat in the judgment of the world.  As Noah passes through the waters of the flood in a wooden ark, you pass through the deadly waters of baptism on a wooden cross with Jesus.  You go with Jesus through the judgment for sin, you die with him, you lay dead with him in a tomb, you are drowned in the deadly deluge, and then brought out of it into life.  All of this, through Jesus. 

And since this is true for you, that promise to Noah is a promise to you as well.  Never again.  Never again will your sin destroy you, for you are precious child of God.  Never again need death be your master, for you are washed in Christ’s blood.  Never again will you drown in the toils of this world, for you have already been brought through God’s judgment safely.  Never again, for now you belong to Jesus. 

Dear friends in Christ, Noah comes out of the ark, afraid for God’s judgment, just as you so often are afraid in this world.  But God gives promises to those who are afraid.  Fear not, the Lord is with you!  Fear not, God will carry you through.  Fear not, you have come through the flood with Jesus.  Amen.  

Proper 11 - G - 2012 - The Shepherd who Gives to His Sheep

Eighth Sunday After Pentecost - Proper 11

July 22, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Jeremiah 23:1-6           Ephesians 2:11-22       Mark 6:30-44

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, amen.  Our text today is the Gospel lesson, especially these words, “he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  Sheep without a shepherd are at risk in a variety of ways.  There is no one to guard them, no one to lead them, no one to gather them together, and no one to feed them.  Sheep without a shepherd live their lives in chaos, running amok, giving into their own desires as a leaf blows in the wind.  There is no right and wrong, and when faced with danger, the whole flock can stampede over a cliff together. 

And yet, it is this phrase that Christ uses about the people in our text today.  He and his disciples have tried to go off by themselves to “a desolate place to rest.”  But the crowds of people run ahead of them to meet them as they get off the boat.  There will be no rest for Christ or his disciples, for these people need a shepherd.  They need someone to have compassion on them, to care for their weaknesses and to provide for their needs even as they are protected from their enemies.  And so the Lord will be their shepherd, so that when they are with him they shall not want. 

Jesus takes time to “teach them” many things.  Things that they need to know.  He proclaimed to them the Gospel of God, and said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand!  Repent and believe in the Gospel.”  (Mark 1:15)  Believe the Word of God, that you are a guilty sinner.  Because of your sin you must die.  Because of your sin you must suffer.  Because of your sin you will walk through the valley of the shadow of death. 

In your sin you are sheep without a shepherd – but even so the shepherd is coming. The Shepherd who shall make all things right – who is even now before you.  “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  He shall be, as David was a Shepherd King.  And he will give peace to his people, through his own blood and sacrifice. 

When Christ is done teaching the Scriptures to these people, when he is done restoring their souls with God’s Holy Precious Word, and giving them comfort for sin, their bodies are still hungry.  Their bodies are weak from the heat of the day and the lack of food in that desolate place.  So there on the side of the still waters of the lake, Jesus sets a table before them – a few loaves of bread and a few fish.  Jesus broke them into groups of hundreds and fifties – congregations – and sets each group down in the green grass – green pastures – and gives them a meal that truly satisfies them, the cup Christ gives them overflows.  On that day he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them to eat, along with two fish.  He fed them, and they were full.

The Good Shepherd, on the shore of the water in the green grass fed his sheep, and became their shepherd.  He fed their soul with His Word, and he fed their bodies with bread.  He gave them direction, he gave them purpose, he gave them… forgiveness, and peace, and protection even forevermore.  5,000 men – filled.  5,000 men and their wives and children – stuffed!  What a shepherd!  What a gift! What a blessing!

And dear friends, it is a blessing that God extends to you as well.  You too are sheep without a shepherd are you not?  You too wander to and fro so often without a care in the world.  But even as you do, you are scared, you are worried.  What will tomorrow bring.  Will my health hold out?  When will my end come – years from now, or tomorrow?  Who will protect me as I strive to protect those that I love?  How can I ever do what I need to?  For you are full of sin.  You are guilty beyond belief.  You have sinned in thought word and deed.  You’re a sheep whose run away from God your shepherd.  And in your wanderings all you have found is the valley of the shadow of death. 

So hear the words of your Good Shepherd as he speaks in the Old Testament lesson, “I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply.  I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.” 

Jesus is your shepherd.  He leads you beside still waters – Nay! through them in baptism.  He breaks you into congregations – groups of hundreds and fifties – just as Jesus does in our text.  He teaches you many things as here in this building His Word is proclaimed to you.  It heals your soul, because His Word tells you the truth:  “YOUR SINS ARE ALL FORGIVEN!  Every one of them – all in the blood of Jesus your Good Shepherd.  Having given you his word, he sets you down in good pasture and sets a table before you – an altar filled with bread and wine that is not just bread and wine, but which is very body and blood of Jesus Christ in with and under bread and wine, again for the forgiveness of sins. 

And just as Christ gave the bread to his disciples to hand out to those gathered in our text, so too does he give an undershepherd to you – to give you his gifts.  An undershepherd, whose job – entirely by the grace of God – is “to care for you, that you shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall any of you be missing,”  To remind you of Jesus who is the true shepherd.  The one who gave all to be with his sheep.  The Good Shepherd Jesus who has compassion on his sheep. 

That’s what today’s Gospel says for you:  “The Lord is your shepherd, so you shall not be in want.  He makes you sit down in green pastures, he leads you beside still waters, and restores your soul.”  “He sets a table before you” “And now, in Christ, in his name, in his gifts, in his promises, “Goodness and mercy shall surely follow you all the days of your lives.”  And at long last, when your journey is over, “you shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” 

God’s promise to you, from the mouth of the Good Shepherd, through the mouth of your lowly undershepherd is this.  You are forgiven, so come and eat that you may be satisfied.  Amen.  

Eleanor Alvina Anna Braaten (1925-2012)

Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

John 11:17-45 - 17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles[a] off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20  So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24  Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.[b] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved[c] in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35  Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42  I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44  The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

1 Thessalonians 3:13-18 - We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.  Therefore encourage one another with these words. 

Grace, Mercy and Peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text for this day comes from the epistle lesson, especially these words, “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.”  Thus far our text.

Dear friends in Christ, especially Bev, Donna, Jim and Jeff.  Today is a day of grieving.  Today is a day to mourn.  It is not the first day that we have mourned, and we know that it will not be the last.  Eleanor, your mother, your grandmother is asleep in the Lord.  Her soul now dwells before the throne of God, and her body is left in our safe keeping until the glorious day of resurrection.  And today, tomorrow, and for years to come, we will miss her, and continue to grieve and mourn. 

We mourn because Eleanor’s life wasn’t easy.  Her mother died when she was young, and she worked hard to care for her family and brothers.  She had to ride her bike for miles to church for confirmation.  She worked hard every day of her life, helping her own children, and gardening until finally she could no longer do the things she wanted due to a damaged heart and Alzheimer’s.  We mourn for the difficulties that Eleanor face in her life, and because we know that one day, we too must face death – for we too are sinners.  “For just as sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, so death came to all people, for all have sinned.”

But we have a bold answer to the toils and tribulations of this world.  We have an answer to sin.  It doesn’t look inwardly to our self, but it looks to our Lord Jesus.  We have a great hope in the Son of God who lived among us sinners for his whole life.  For God took on human flesh, he was born in the poor family of a carpenter.  He spent countless hours helping people, the sick, the weak, the broken hearted.  He made the blind see, he gave the lame to walk.  He cared for people so much that finally to take care of all sin, of all suffering and all pain, he himself experienced agony at the hands of sinful men.  He was pierced for our iniquities, he was crushed for our sin.  Jesus himself died to answer the problems of suffering and pain that we daily face.  He died to give hope to all who trust in him.  For he did not stay dead, but rose again as he said that he would. 

You have a hope that your mother died in the faith, so she will not stay dead.  You have a hope that because she believed and was baptized, that she shall be saved, that even right now as we are gathered here, she is experiencing the eternal bliss of paradise.  In Jesus, and in Jesus alone, we have that hope.

So what does this mean?  Should we stop grieving?  Should we stop mourning?  Afterall Jesus rose victorious and so too will mom and all our loved ones who have died.  Don’t worry about it, just be happy right?  Wrong.  Death’s sting still hurts, even if it carries no poison.  Deaths loss is like being stabbed through our heart, even if it can be healed.  Dear friends in Christ, it is good and right to hurt.  Jesus himself in our Gospel lesson arrives at the tomb of his dear friend Lazarus and weeps at the loss death brings, at the pain sin delivers and at the woe that fills our lives.  Jesus cries, even as he knows his friend will rise again. 

But that’s the key isn’t it?  Even as Jesus mourns, he mourns with a hope.  He mourns knowing that through his own blood bought sacrifice that sin will be dealt with, that life will be restored, and that death will not, I repeat will not be the victor in this battle.  Because of the sacrifice of Golgotha, the blood pouring out of Jesus side, we have a hope.  So that when we mourn, we know that it is temporary, it is not forever. 

We do not want you to be uninformed, dear friends, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.  For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.  Eleanor will come with Jesus through death.  You will come with Jesus through death.  All believers past and present will come with Jesus through death.  This is our hope, this is our promise.

And so today, we grieve our loss.  We remember our mother and the things we will miss and the lessons we learned from her.  But we do not grieve without hope.  We grieve with a savior, Jesus Christ, who forsaking all else, went to suffer and die for our sin.  You are forgiven in his name, you are granted eternity in him.  Grieve, but know that Christ has won and death has lost.  Amen.  

Confessing the Faith in the 21st Century Conference

Our North Dakota district is hosting a conference for LAY PEOPLE and PASTORS alike entitled "Confessing the Faith in the 21st Century" on Saturday, October 27, 2012 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Central Time) in Fargo, ND.  Our Speakers will be: 

Adriane Dorr, the editor of the Lutheran Witness Magazine, 
and

Rev. Jonathan Fisk, the creator of the popular Worldview Everlasting Video Blog.  

In addition to these main speakers, we will also have small break away sessions where we will focus on the mission we are doing here in the North Dakota district, such as Project 24, Minot Recovery and more!  Plan on attending!  Registration is $20 for the day.  

Register at the following website:  Registration for "Confessing the Faith in the 21st Century"

Also on Facebook! 

To see Worldview Everlasting, visit the following website:  http://www.worldvieweverlasting.com/
To see the Lutheran Witness Website visit the following website:  http://witness.lcms.org/pages/witness.asp
Videos about the other projects are located below.

This is a great opportunity to hear what things are being done to teach the Lutheran faith in our world today, and what resources are available to you in your own congregation.  Also learn about what your own local churches are doing to proclaim the Gospel here and around the world.

Project 24

Minot Recovery

Issues Etc Commercial

Proper 9 - O - 2012 - What Can You Expect From Your Pastor?

Sixth Sunday After Pentecost - Proper 9

July 8, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline
Ezekiel 2:1-5               2 Corinthians 12:1-10             Mark 6:1-13

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is the Old Testament lesson just read.  Thus far our text.

Dear friends in Christ. What can you expect from your pastor? My home pastor recently shared with me an email that he had received about what the “perfect pastor” did.  Perhaps you have seen it yourself:  I must admit, I am a little hesitant to share this with you, especially as I have just returned from a weeklong relaxing vacation. 

The Perfect Pastor preaches exactly 8 minutes. He condemns sin, but never hurts anyone's feelings. He works from 8 a.m. until midnight, and is also the church janitor.

The Perfect Pastor makes $40 a week, wears good clothes, drives a good car, buys good books, and donates $50 a week to the poor. He is 28 years old and has been preaching 30 years.  The Perfect Pastor has a burning desire to work with teenagers, and he spends most of his time with the senior citizens. He smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his church. He makes 15 hospital and home visits a day and is always in his office when needed.

If your pastor does not measure up, simply send this notice to six other churches that are tired of their pastor too. Then bundle up your pastor and send him to the church at the top of your list. If everyone cooperates, in one week you will receive 1, 643 pastors. One of them should be perfect.

What do you expect from your pastor?  What is realistic to expect from the man God has given to you to be your undershepherd to the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ?  We can talk about a lot of different things, social graces, or personality, or whether he cheers for Bison or Sioux, or even worse the Huskers.  We can talk about the right age and weight, sermon length, or all sorts of different expectations for a pastor.

But dear friends, our text today tells us that all of these things are not the key to what you should expect from your pastor.  All of these things are just the peripheral to the center of the issue.  Because according to our text, no matter how nice, or how good looking your pastor is, or which team he cheers for, if he doesn’t do one thing, he is not doing his job.  The Lord speaks to Ezekiel, “I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’”

What can you expect from your pastor?  Thus says the Lord God.  When you are faced with a difficult predicament, you expect from your Pastor the words of God – about sin, about guilt, about forgiveness, about (pause) Christ.  What can you expect from your pastor?  The Bible, the Truth.  When you talk to your pastor, expect him whoever he may be, to tell you “Thus says the Lord.”

It is not always easy.  Sometimes what the Lord says isn’t what we want to hear.  Just like the people in our Gospel lesson today, I hear only what I want to hear, and if I disagree, I am quick to judge the person.  We don’t want to hear about sin, or death, or guilt, or the consequence for our own disobedience.  And yet, what can you expect from your pastor?  Thus says the Lord God!  When it’s unpopular, when it’s difficult, when God’s word draws a line that we have passed way beyond, you can expect your pastor to point it out.  Your Pastor proclaims to you the full harshness of the law, that God expects you to be perfect, and that you blew it, you messed up, and that you can’t make it right on your own.   

No, not to rub your nose in it, but instead to lead you to repent of sin, to turn away from it as much as you can as a sinner saint.  And then when you realize that you have nowhere to turn, nothing to do to save yourself.  When you realize that you are a totally death deserving sinner, then your pastor can say boldly and truthfully – Thus says the Lord.  Then you can and should expect your Pastor to tell you the gospel as well.

Thus says the Lord – God became flesh to die for the sinner.  Christ the Lord went to the cross to suffer and die for the sinner who can’t save himself.  Christ came only for sinners, those who have no other place to turn – Thus says the Lord!  You can expect your Pastor to tell you that your sins are forgiven, that you are made holy in the blood of the lamb.  And now, Jesus has washed you in a baptismal font, to take away all your sin forevermore, and you can expect your Pastor to remind you of this forgiveness every time – ANY time – that your sin gets the best of you. 

Dear friends, there is an old Seminary professor who once told of a time over 50 years ago when a couple came into him – a couple that was the same gender.  They asked the pastor to bless their relationship before the whole church, to publically proclaim them to be united.  The pastor very calmly said “No.”  He kindly explained that marriage is between a man and a woman for life, and that anything outside that boundary, no matter what the circumstances was wrong.  “Thus says the Lord.” That couple cursed at him, they swore at him, they called him every name under the book, and broke a variety of commandments putting that pastor in his place.  Finally on the way out the door, they cursed that pastor to the fires of hell. 

The pastor prayed for those people.  Year after year that day came back to the pastor and he prayed for them.  Finally, one day one of these gentleman showed up at the pastors door, “Pastor, can we talk.”  They sat down and talked and talked, the man poured out his soul, the pastor was able to minister to him as he needed, speaking that same word, Thus says the Lord.  And finally the meeting was over.  The pastor looked at the man and said, “I just have to ask, the last time you were in here, you didn’t want to have anything to do with me.  Why did you come back today?”  “I am sorry pastor, but I knew there was one person who would speak to me straight, tell me the truth, and not tell me just what I wanted hear – and I needed that today.”

What can you expect from your pastor?  Someone who will speak the truth in love, Ephesians 4:15.  Not any truth, but God’s truth, THE truth, Jesus Christ, the way the truth and the life, who will speak the truth to you in good times and in bad.  Who will speak the truth to you whether he’s your buddy or not.  Someone who will tell you the WORD that unites us as one.  The word of Forgiveness, the word of our Lord Jesus. 

What can you expect from your pastor?  If you ask each other this afternoon, you will probably get as many different answers as people you ask.  Some might have to do with number of visits, some might have to do with what team he cheers for, some with how tidy his office is or isn’t.  But underneath all these things, the most important thing you should expect from your pastor is this:  To hear about Jesus, born of the virgin, suffered under Pontius Pilate, who rose again from the dead, and even today lives and reigns forevermore.  To hear about your sin, to hear that it is forgiven, to hear you belong to heaven forever.  To hear, Thus says the Lord.  Amen. 

Vacation Sermon - Pastor Brent Kuhlman

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 8

7/1/2012

30

Lamentations 3:22-33

2 Corinthians 8:1-9,13-15

Mark 5:21-43

Old Testament – Lamentations 3

“²² The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;^[a]
     his mercies never come to an end;
²³ they are new every morning;
     great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
     “therefore I will hope in him.”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
²⁶ It is good that one should wait quietly
    for the salvation of the Lord.
²⁷ It is good for a man that he bear
    the yoke in his youth.

²⁸ Let him sit alone in silence
    when it is laid on him;
²⁹ let him put his mouth in the dust—
    there may yet be hope;
³⁰ let him give his cheek to the one who strikes,
    and let him be filled with insults.

³¹ For the Lord will not
    cast off forever,
³² but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion
     according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
³³ for he does not afflict from his heart
    or grieve the children of men.

Epistle – 2 Corinthians 8

8 We want you to know, brothers,^[a] about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, ² for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. ³ For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, ⁴ begging us earnestly for the favor^[b] of taking part in the relief of the saints— ⁵ and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. ⁶ Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. ⁷ But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you^[c]— see that you excel in this act of grace also.

⁸  I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. ⁹ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Gospel - Sermon Text - St. Mark 5:21-43

²¹ And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. ²²  Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet ²³ and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” ²⁴ And he went with him.

And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. ²⁵ And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. ²⁷ She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. ²⁸ For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” ²⁹  And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. ³⁰ And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” ³¹ And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’”³² And he looked around to see who had done it. ³³ But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. ³⁴ And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

³⁵ While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” ³⁶ But overhearing^[a] what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” ³⁷ And he allowed no one to follow him exceptPeter and James and John the brother of James. ³⁸ They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus^[b] saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. ³⁹ And when he had entered, he said to them, “Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is not dead butsleeping.” ⁴⁰ And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. ⁴¹  Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” ⁴² And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. ⁴³ And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Sermon written by Pastor Brent Kuhlman

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.  Our text today is the Gospel lesson just read. 

No sleeping, snoring Jesus this week.  No boating this weekend.  He’s on the beach after calming the storm and after healing a demon possessed man who lived in a cemetery.  Lord Jesus.  Lord of the winds and the waves.  Lord over sin, death, and the devil.  No wonder a great crowd is waiting for Him on the shore.  People have been waiting.  Waiting for generations.  For centuries.  For the kingdom of God.  For the Christ.  And here He is – fully awake -- on the seashore.

In Mark’s Gospel people come out of the woodwork.  People you’d never expect.  But word has been leaking out that the Messiah has come.  And so off these hungry-for-the-Gospel-people go looking for Jesus.  Trusting in Jesus.  Giving Him the highest of worship:  faith. 

Today there’s two.  No “little” faith with them like the disciples in the boat last week.  Or total rejection by the Gerasenes just a few verses before this text.     

First up:  Jairus -- the big shot synagogue ruler.  Has a little girl.  Twelve years old.  She is very sick.  Deathbed sick.  Hospice sick.  There’s not much time left.  Down to just hours.  Maybe even minutes.  Where does Jairus look for help?  To whom does he desperately look?

Not to himself.  Jairus is nothing.  But to the Savior who has burst on to the scene!  Jairus gets through the crowd to Jesus.  But the mighty synagogue official comes before Lord Jesus only as a beggar.  Falls down before Jesus’ feet and out spills the beggar’s cry of faith:  “My little girl is at death’s door.  Please, please come.  Lay your hands on her and bless her Jesus so that she can get better and live.”

They take off.  Off to the house.  “Hurry Jesus!  We don’t have much time!”  Everyone’s on the edge of their seats to see what will happen.  Jesus marches along to save a little girl from the icy grip of death itself.  As they go the throng of humanity presses, squeezes and pushes against the Lord Jesus.

They’re making progress.  Going as fast as they can to the house.  Then all of sudden Lord Jesus hesitates.  No.  Comes full stop!  Someone has touched His coat!  And Jesus perceives that He’s helped someone because His divine healing power flowed from His body.  He won’t budge until He finds out who came to Him in faith.  “Which one of you touched my garments?”  Jesus asks.

Are you kidding Jesus?  Good grief!  There’s a whole mass of humanity pressing up against you!  It’s a scene of human gridlock and yet you ask, “Who touched me?” 

During this delay Jairus is probably getting quite anxious.  Every second counts.  But Jesus delays.  He wants to know.  Someone who believes in Him touched Him. 

And lo and behold it is a woman.  An unclean, outcast from the worshiping community hemorrhaging-for-twelve-years-woman.  Spent all her savings on physicians.  And their health care only made her condition worse.  She’s heard that Messiah has come.  So she dares to come up from behind Him to touch – just touch a piece of His coat.  And she felt it.  The healing.  The hemorrhaging dries up. 

His eyes meet up with hers.  She’s terrified.  She too is reduced to being only a beggar before the Lord.  Falls down before Him.  Confesses what she, an unclean, hemorrhaging woman has done.  “It was me Lord!  I touched you!  I’m sorry.  I was so sick.  The physicians took all my money.  Made my condition worse.  You’re all I have left Jesus.  You’re the only one who can help me!” 

And Lord Jesus, in this mass of humanity, is there entirely for her.  Yes, that’s right, there just for her – this poor, poor woman.  He absorbs her uncleanness.  Takes it in His body in order to take it to Calvary and die for it.  And in exchange she is cleansed.  Restored.  Redeemed.  She is not just a woman.  Now she is a:  DAUGHTER!  She belongs.  She’s a part of God’s family.

Jesus praises her faith.  Her faith in Jesus.  “Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace and be healed of your sickness.”          

But this delay has cost Jairus dearly.  While Jesus was having this divine service on the road, messengers arrive to tell Jairus that his daughter has died.  “No need to bother with this Jesus anymore Master Jairus,” they say.  “He’s of no use now!” 

Jesus overhears this conversation.  He steps up to the plate.  “Do not be so afraid any more.  I’m here.  Only believe!”   An outstanding promise from the One who is the Resurrection and the Life.  “Do not fear.  Only believe.”   

So off they go again to the house.  Jesus lets Peter, James and John go along.  Once they get to the house the commotion and lamentation is in full swing.  In those days mourners were even hired. 

Jesus acts like nothing is wrong.  And really with Him nothing is ever wrong.  “Why all the weeping and wailing?  The child isn’t dead.  She’s only sleeping!”  And their crying turns into hilarious laughter.  The only time in the New Testament that Jesus evokes laughter.  It’s a mocking laughter.  “What an idiot!  What a maroon!  Of course she’s dead!  Who is this fool Jairus?”  And the world still laughs at this Jesus who treats death like a sleep.

Jesus leaves the mockers outside and goes in to the little girl’s bedroom.  Takes Dad, Mom, Peter, James, and John with Him.  Grabs her hand. He’s there entirely for her.  “Talitha kum! (Little girl, it’s time to get up now!)” 

And His words do what they say.  They give what they say.  The twelve year old daughter “immediately” gets up and walks around the room.

The woman was hemorrhaging to death.  Jairus’ daughter died.  But Jesus was there entirely for them.  Two daughters.  One healed.  One raised from the dead.  Both given even more:  salvation. 

Today you’ve come out of the woodwork.  Expecting good gifts from Lord Jesus.  You have His promise too:  “Do not be afraid.  Only believe.  Believe that I’ve raised you from the dead in Baptism to live a new life of faith in Me.”  Yes, indeed.  Jesus is here entirely for you.  With all the power of His dying for you.  His Body.  His Blood.  For you for you to eat for pardon from all your sin.  That’s His promise.  Once you were dead.  But now you are alive.  And then more to come.  Resurrection and eternal life on the Last Day.  "I’m here entirely for you too.  Do not be afraid.  Only believe."In the Name of Jesus.  Amen.