Proper 16 - E - 2013 - The Discipline of God the Father

The Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost

August 25, 2013 - Pastor Adam Moline

Isaiah 66:18-23           Hebrews 12:4-29         Luke 13:22-30

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God the Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.  Our text today is form the epistle lesson just read, especially these words, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  Reading this weeks text reminded me of an event from my childhood.  We had both horses, and a giant garden growing up.  Between the two was a sloping ground covered with thick tall grass about 100 yards in distance.  That’s important for the story.  I can remember it well.  My brother Kyle was in trouble.  I don’t remember what he had done or why.  I don’t remember who was involved, only that it wasn’t me…  this time.  All I remember was the punishment. 

The punishment was this:  My brother was to hand shovel horse manure, forty times, into a wheelbarrow, and push the wheelbarrow down to the garden and deposit it into 40 neat piles.  Until that task was accomplished, he was grounded from everything else except school work and sleep.  It was a dreadful punishment.  It would take him a long time to do it, it was hot like it is today, and our wheelbarrow had a leaky wheel that would require pumping up with new air often. 

So my brother began.  And after about the 4^th trip he began muttering under his breath.  The 7^th trip.  The muttering became louder.  About half way through he was yelling about how unfair this was, and how he hated horse manure.  He even yelled at my dad one time, “I’m not learning anything from this, why don’t you just spank me and get this over with.”  And with those words my dad just smiled, because he knew that the task at hand was having the desired effect.  Out of the discipline came respect, and with the respect was love. 

You see, that’s what our text is telling us today.  That our heavenly father teaches us discipline the same way our earthly fathers do.  Just as earthly father’s say, “Pay attention in school, do your homework and chores,” so too does our heavenly father say, “have no other Gods, Remember the Sabbath Day, Do not murder or steal or covet and more.”  And just as parents discipline their child who doesn’t listen, so too does God discipline his children who don’t listen. 

The difference is, the punishment of God is much more foreboding than we are with our children.  God says, if you sin, you will die, if you slip up even a little, you must die.  It’s not that God’s being mean, it’s not that he’s too harsh, it’s the rule that he set up, and he explained it clearly, and he, as a good father does, is following through with his promises.  He said to Adam and Eve, “You shall surely die,” and they did.  He says to you, if you break the rules, you too shall die, and it’s the truth. 

And yet, God also did another amazing thing for you and for me.  When the rules were broken, and one of God’s children needed the discipline of death, God sent his own Son, born of the virgin, to pay the penalty.  He sent his own son to die, so that we, his other children would not have to.  Our brother Jesus, paid the price for our transgression. 

It would have been like this, if when my brother received the dreaded verdict of 40 wheelbarrows of manure, that I would have stepped up and grabbed the shovel for him.  That’s what Jesus does, except our punishment from God was much more severe than 40 wheelbarrows of horse manure.  Our punishment with God was eternal death, hell, and separation.  And Jesus paid that on the cross.  He paid with his blood, suffering and death.  He compensated for our wrong by laying in the tomb that we deserved. 

And so because of him, we are forgiven before God.  Our brother was punished in our place, so we receive eternity.  We are forgiven because of Christ.  We get heaven.  We get peace.  We get comfort.  The wrath of God against our sins is taken away.  Amen.

Proper 15 - E - 2013 - By Faith From Outside Ourselves

The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
August 18, 2013 - Pastor Adam Moline

Jeremiah 23:16-29       Hebrews 11:17-40; 12:1-3      Luke 12:49-56

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is from the Epistle lesson just read, especially these words, “By Faith.”  Thus far our text for today. 

Dear friends in Christ.  Its quite the list of scoundrels that are mentioned in our lesson for today.  Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.  Moses, Rahab, Barak, Gideon and more.  And this list of names is just continuing from last week’s lesson when Abel, Cain, Enoch, and Noah were also included.  It’s a list of people who were guilty and sinful before God, who by their thoughts, by their words and deeds failed time and time again. 

Rahab was a prostitute.  Abraham and Isaac both lied about their wives being their sisters.  Barak trusted in Deborah more than God.  Gideon asked God for signs two nights in a row before believing.  Abel was murdered by Cain.  Noah became drunk and naked after exiting the ark.  These people were sinners.  These people were guilty.  These people had so much sin as to not deserve or be able to earn one shred of God’s grace. 

And if we read the pages of scripture we see that their lives were at times extremely difficult.  They lost loved ones to death.  They were beaten and flogged.  Noah watched everyone in the world except for his family die.  Moses dealt with the continuous complaints of the people of Israel.  They weren’t all rich, many of them had no permanent home, but lived in tents in the desert. 

And yet, we hear the refrain again and again – 19 times total – in our text.  By faith Joseph believed in the coming exodus.  By faith Abel offered his sacrifice.  By faith Noah built the ark.  By faith Abraham left Haran, and by faith Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt.  Its faith that is behind all the great saints of scripture.  It’s faith that makes them the patriarchs.  Its because of faith that their lives are recorded.  Our text says that by faith they conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. For you see, it’s by faith that they are truly great men. 

This faith was not from within.  These men did nothing to make themselves believe, they did nothing to accept God or invite him in.  God found them as they wandered about in their sinful lives.  God called them, and selected them to be His.  The Holy Spirit called them by the Gospel, promising them salvation, and an eternal land that they would one day inherit.  God gave them the gift of faith to cling to God’s promises.  And believing God’s word to them, it was counted to them as righteousness.

Dear friends, the same thing is true of us.  In our lives every day, we face challenges and struggles.  We have problems.  We have issues.  We cannot seem to ever get everything to go our way.  We aren’t all rich.  We aren't all famous.  We aren’t sure how to pay the bills or deal with grandma’s illnesses.  We have loved ones who die suddenly.  We face sorrow and suffering.  We’ve lied and stolen.  We’ve drank too much, we've committed adultery.  We are the worst of sinners, its true. 

And yet, we’ve been given faith, a faith from outside ourselves.  It’s a faith poured out on us generously through water and the word.  It’s a faith that has come to us through Word and Sacrament.  It’s a faith that clings to Jesus.  It’s a faith that looks at what he has done for us, by taking our sin.  By killing our sin on the cross.  By lying dead in our tomb.  And by rising again and promising life to all who have faith in him. 

This faith really does cling to Jesus.  That word cling is the prefect word to use.  We’ve all had static cling, where our pants seemingly stick to our leg on their own.  Or the piece of spaghetti that clings to the wall.  They are stuck, and sometimes it seems like nothing can undo the clinging power that holds them there. 

The same is true of Jesus.  We cling to him, not on our own, we’re just stuck to him.  By faith we belong to him.  We cannot by our own reason or strength believe or come to him.  But he calls us, he blesses us.  By faith he makes us his children.  By faith he washes us.  By faith he feeds us.  By faith he gives us the entire blessings of heaven and eternity.  It’s all by faith, outside ourselves. 

And our text tells us that faith comes from Jesus.  He’s its author.  He’s its perfecter.  He’s its worker in us and in our lives.  If he cared for sinful Noah and Abraham, he will care for you too, dear friends.  He will care for you, and provide a place for you.  By faith, you belong to him, and will, even forever more.  Amen.  

2013 - Funeral - Donald Milton Bellin

Job 30 - “And now my soul is poured out within me;

    days of affliction have taken hold of me.
¹⁷ The night racks my bones,
    and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest.
¹⁸ With great force my garment is disfigured;
    it binds me about like the collar of my tunic.
¹⁹ God^[c] has cast me into the mire,
    and I have become like dust and ashes.
²⁰ I cry to you for help and you do not answer me;
    I stand, and you only look at me.
²¹ You have turned cruel to me;
    with the might of your hand you persecute me.
²² You lift me up on the wind; you make me ride on it,
    and you toss me about in the roar of the storm.
²³ For I know that you will bring me to death
    and to the house appointed for all living.

Isaiah 41 - But you, Israel, my servant,

    Jacob, whom I have chosen,
    the offspring of Abraham, my friend;
⁹ you whom I took from the ends of the earth,
    and called from its farthest corners,
saying to you, “You are my servant,
    I have chosen you and not cast you off”;
¹⁰ fear not, for I am with you;
    be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

John 8 - Donald's Confirmation Verse - So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

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 read, also Donald’s Confirmation Verse, especially these words, “the truth will set you free.”.  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ, especially Helen and other family.  Some sixty three years ago, right here, in this font, Donald Milton Bellin became God’s Child in the waters of Holy Baptism.  On that day he received forgiveness of all his sins, rescue from death and the devil, and the promise of eternal salvation through the washing of rebirth and renewal in water and the word.  Just three weeks later, he was confirmed in that faith, as he confessed here that would rather die than fall away from the faith.  And as he made that promise, Pastor Micheal spoke the words of our text to him.  “The Truth will set you free,” and then you will be free indeed. 

Throughout many years of his life, these words stuck with Donald.  These words belonged to Donald as he entered the armed services, “the truth will set you free.”  They were with Donald as he moved to St. Paul and worked for many years as an electrician.  They were with Donald as he married his lovely wife Helen.  They were with Donald as he retired and moved back here to Hankinson.  The words were with Donald up until the last few days, when finally he was set free from this world indeed. 

As we talked about last night, the last few months and weeks for Donald were difficult.  His health declined quickly and steadily.  The man who liked to tell jokes and chat was nothing more than skin and bones.  The last week or so of his life, he struggled greatly.  The day before he passed, with every breath he cried out for help, “Help me” he said, “Help me to get out of the bed, help me to leave.  Help me to finally enter eternal rest.”  His cry matched that of Job in our first lesson, “And now my soul is poured out within me; days of affliction have taken hold of me.  The night racks my bones, and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest.”  And so he prayed for help.

And where does that help come from?  It comes from the promise of Donald’s Confirmation verse, “The Truth will set you free.”  Free from pain.  Free from sorrow, free from suffering, free from all the sin of the world.  Christ’s response to the shout of help is nothing else than freedom in these words, “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  And so on Tuesday afternoon, Donald was set free from this world, and entered eternity with God.

The price for his freedom from the pain and sorrow of this world is the very precious blood, and innocent suffering and death of God’s own Holy Son Jesus in place of Donald.  God loved Donald so much He let His Son Jesus come to this world.  He let his Son suffer, even more than Donald suffered.  He let his Son be beaten, and nailed to a cross.  He let his son’s blood pour out as a sin sacrifice and offering.  He let his Son die, to set all of us free from sin, even Donald. 

Yes, that’s right, you too are freed from the confines of this world by the Way the Truth and the Life Jesus Christ.  You too are rescued from sin death and the power of the devil, and you too have life in the blood of Jesus.  You too, just like Donald our dear departed brother, will be set free by the Truth, and if he sets you free, you will be free indeed. 

Dear friends, Today Donald has life.  And we have the promise that one day we too will have life, and be with him even forever more.  Listen to His word, and believe the truth, and the truth will set you free.  Amen.  

Proper 14 - G - 2013 - What Does "Don't Worry" Mean?

The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Baptism Sermon

August 11, 2013 - Pastor Adam Moline

Genesis 15:1-6            Hebrews 11:1-16         Luke 12:22-40

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is from the Gospel lesson just read, especially these words, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.”  Thus far our text for today. 

Dear friends in Christ. The story is told of a man who built his house down on the banks of the river.  His friends warned him the day he laid his foundation – “You’re too close to the river, what if there’s a flood?”  The man boldly and confidently responded, “God says Don’t be anxious about your life, and I know God will take care of me.”  It wasn’t but a few weeks after construction was completed that during a rainstorm, the river level rose quickly, and soon the man was on the roof of his house surrounded by the raging flood.  One of his friends came in a boat shouting “Hop in, and I’ll save you.”  The man responded “God says don’t be anxious, and I am such a good Christian that I’m not worried at all.  God will save me!”  Soon the water had risen further, and a helicopter from the National Guard hovered overhead.  The man looked up and shouted, “Go away, I’m not worried at all!  God will save me.”  And as the helicopter flew away, the man was washed away into the water.

As the man died and entered heaven, the first words he asked were, “God, you said not to worry, but that you would save me!  What happened?”  God looked at him, and responded, “I sent your friends to warn you, I sent a boat to save you, and finally I sent a helicopter to carry you out of the flood.  Why are you angry with me? 

Don’t be anxious, Jesus says.  Don’t worry, have no fear little flock!  There are two ways that we can take these words today – as a rule or as a promise.  As a “Don’t be anxious or else!” or as a “Don’t worry, I’ve got it” spoken by a friend.  One a rule, and one a promise.  But we need to know which way is the correct way to understand these words, because after all, they are words spoken by the very living God incarnate.  Is it a rule we are to follow, like the man on the roof?  Or is it something different?

The way that we so often take these words is as a law, as a rule that God want’s us to follow.  Don’t worry.  Stop worrying, just be happy!  Or else!  And that’s the way that we so often deal with things in our lives isn’t it?  Grandma is sick and dying, but I won’t worry, God doesn’t want me to.  The bills are tight this month due to unforeseen expenses, but I won’t worry, God commands me not to.  Grocery costs have gone up lately, how will I pay for the food we need?  School is starting again soon, and the kid’s need new clothes, but I can’t worry, I can’t fret, I can’t stress out, because God says not to!

Dear friends, we see what happens.  The more we attempt to not worry, the more we actually do.  The more we strive to not be anxious, the worse our anxiety grows!  It grows in an ever increasing loop, until we’re finally worry about not worrying about things that we shouldn’t worry about! 

So what do we do?  We work ever harder trying to prevent the struggles of this world.  We work ever harder to build up a safety net financially, or a retirement account for the future.  We do everything that we think is in our power to eliminate worries and struggles, and through it all we end up trust in ourselves. 

Dear friends, that’s what is truly behind all our worries.  Its ourselves.  It’s our own wants and desires.  It’s our own fears and worries.  Its because we are scared of this world and the struggles it throws before us.  We know we cannot overcome them.  We know that we are always an accident or illness or disaster away from destruction, and so too are our families.  We see the families on the news that have had tragedy befall them.  We ourselves have friends whose families have faced calamity.  And really, we too have had misfortune strike us where we are most vulnerable – in our very hearts. 

But dear friends, when we worry about not worrying, we are still worrying!  And when we are worrying, we are taking Jesus’ words as a command.  Rather, Jesus’ words here are a promise.  Don’t worry, because I have overcome the world.  Don’t be anxious, because I have won the victory over all sins, all worries, and all struggles.  Don’t be anxious, because you, dear friends, are valuable to God. 

Hear Christ’s words in our text.  Look at the ravens of the fields.  They neither toil or spin, they don’t worry about anything, and yet God still takes care of them.  And dear friends, how much more important are you than they are?  How much more does your God care for you than for a silly little bird.  You are the reason for creation.  You are the reason for this whole world.  God built it all for you. 

And what’s more, you are so much more valuable, each of you, than a little sparrow or pigeon.  You are so valuable to God that he entered our world overcome by sin.  He baptized you to take all you worries and sorrows and pains away and to place them on himself.  Your anxiety became His as he worried to the point of sweating blood in the garden.  Your worries became his as he died for selfish sin on the cross.  His blood was shed because of your value to God.  His life was spent that yours might last forever.  He died in your place.

So don’t worry, he now says.  What’s the worst thing that can happen?  Death?  It has been defeated by the cross?  Suffering?  Jesus has suffered for you all ready?  Sin?  Christ has taken all sin away.  Even should all your family die as Job’s did, you may be certain that Jesus has cared for them, and brought them in faith into eternity.  There is nothing in this world to worry about that Jesus hasn’t already solved.

Now I do want to make it clear.  That doesn’t mean we can just sit on the couch and expect God to send free money and food to our door.  Or sit on the roof during the flood.  God doesn’t work that way.  But what it does mean is we can be sure and certain every day, that no matter what happens, that through baptismal waters we have overcome the world through Jesus and his life, death and resurrection on our behalf.  He has saved us, not by righteous things we have done, not by our ability to live worry free, but by His own suffering and worry on our behalf. 

Have no fear little flock, no matter what you face, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  

2013 Bold Witnesses Conference - Proclaiming God's Word Faithfully

Our North Dakota district is hosting a conference for LAITY  and PASTORS alike entitled "God’s Word Proclaimed:  Both To Your Neighbor and also to You" on Saturday, October 12, 2013 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (Central Time) in Mandan, ND.  



Our Main Speaker will be: 


Rev. Dr. Carl C. Fickenscher  
Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions, Dean of Pastoral Education and Certification, and the Supervisor of SMP Program at Concordia Theological Seminary Fort Wayne

Who will be presenting on how to proclaim the word faithfully in regards to Law and Gospel, and how to hear the word faithfully as a Christian sitting in the pew.



In addition to Dr. Fickenscher, we will also have small break away sessions where we will focus on the local missions and services we are doing here in the North Dakota district, such as Project 24, Minot Recovery and more!  Plan on attending!  Registration is $25 for the day if registered before September 15th, and $35 after.  

Group Discounts Available!

Register at the following website:  Registration for "Bold Witnesses 2013"

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.

Schedule:

October 12th, 2013
8:30 Registration Begins
9:00 Matins- Preacher: Rev. Dr. Carl Fickenscher
9:30 Mr. Bill Sharpe: North Dakota Disaster Relief
10:00 Rev. Dr. Carl Fickenscher: God’s Word- Law and Gospel
11:15 Project 24/ELCK
12:00 Lunch
12:45 Rev. Dr. Carl Fickenscher: Proclaiming God’s Word in Your Daily Life
2:00 Mr. Tom Boerger: Lutheran Malaria Initiative
2:20 Break
2:35 Rev. Sean Daenzer: Lutheran Book of Concord Study for Pastors and Laity
2:40 Rev. Lester Wolfgram: Empowered Stewards
2:50 Rev. Thomas Eckstein: Faithful Pastors
3:00 Rev. President James Baneck
3:15 Break
3:30 Rev. Dr. Carl Fickenscher: Listening to Your Pastor’s Sermon/Closing Thoughts
5:00 Closing Prayer

Brought to you by 

Bold Witnesses Committee

Proper 13 - E - 2013 - Hidden With Christ in Baptism

The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Baptism Sermon

August 4, 2013 - Pastor Adam Moline
Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-26                  Colossians 3:1-11                Luke 12:13-21

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Our text this morning is from the Epistle lesson just read, especially these words, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  You have died.  Your life is hidden with Christ.  All of you.  It happened to you just as it happens to a little baby  in baptism.  Water was poured on your head, God’s word was spoken, and you died, right there, and your life was hidden with Christ. 

You needed to die.  In fact you were required to die because of your sin.  It weighed upon you heavily, declaring you to be guilty in the eyes of our Holy and Just God.  As scripture says, you were born sinful, surely from your mother’s womb you were sinful.  Sinful to the point of death. 

Our text today describes what that sin was.  Each of us was born full of sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  And not just those things, but also anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.  That sin infects our thoughts, our words, and our deeds.  And because of that sin, we must die.

There are two options for our death to sin.  One option is that of which God told Adam in the Garden of Eden.  “If you sin, if you disobey my command, you shall surely die.”  There were no ifs, ands, or buts.  It was a clear statement made by God.  And so when Adam fell into sin, he began to die. 

And I don’t only mean physically.  The death Adam faced for his sin was also a spiritual death.  It meant not a promise of eternity in peace with God, but rather an eternity of suffering, an eternity without the God who richly and daily provides us with all we need to support this body and life.  Sin meant Hell for Adam, and all who followed after him in sin. 

Word’s cannot describe the terror that is the spiritual death of Hell.  The best words can do is speak of weeping and gnashing of teeth in the outer darkness.  There the worm does not die, but is always consuming your dead body.  There the flames do not go out, but are always burning the sinner, destroying forever.  That is the special death God has reserved for sinners, for those apart from him. 

But there is another death, and it is the death we have all died together.  Yes we still are sinners, but we are sinners who have already died – with Christ.  We died in water and the word, as the Word in and with the water took away our sins, and clothed us not in our sin, but instead in the righteousness of Christ. 

In baptism we truly die – and we face the punishment for our sin, but we face it not alone, but with our Lord and Savior Christ.  For in baptism, our life is hidden with his.  In baptism we are joined with Christ, so that we die with him upon the cross.  We face the mighty judgment of God’s wrath with Christ, as He bleeds and dies for us.  We lay dead in a tomb, with Christ, who for three days was buried graveyard dead.  And because our life is hidden with Christ in baptism, when he is risen from the dead, we are promised to rise as well. 

And so the baptized baby has already died and risen with Jesus.  The baptized baby has already received the promise of eternal life, and not only the promise but has received eternal life itself.  The baby will never spiritually die again, but at the moment of physical death will immediately be spiritually alive with Christ until the last day when all will rise again. 

And this promise is not just for baptized babies, but is also for you dear friends, who are a touch older than babies.  For baptism isn’t just a onetime event.  It is a lifelong process.  Every day of your life, you are baptized.  As Luther says in the catechism, each day you arise and drown your sin in the waters of baptism.  You are a baptized Christian today, and you will be even forever more. 

In your baptism, your life was hidden with Christ.  In baptism you have died already.  In baptism you are alive forever more with Jesus.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  You have the whole inheritance of Heaven, because your sin is gone with Jesus, and you will live for ever more because of baptism.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen.